


The Life and Times of Kotone Shiomi

by PetildaFan



Series: Persona 3: Kotone’s Journey [1]
Category: Persona 3
Genre: Alternate Universe - Twins, Arisato Twins AU, F/M, Female Persona 3 Protagonist and Male Persona 3 Protagonist are Twins, Gen, Persona 3 Portable, Weird Masquerade References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 38,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24460315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetildaFan/pseuds/PetildaFan
Summary: Time never waits. It delivers all equally to the same end. You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be... You will be given one year; go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide...What if Persona 3 Portable’s female protagonist route had an anime adaptation?
Relationships: Aragaki Shinjiro/Arisato Minako
Series: Persona 3: Kotone’s Journey [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1777075
Comments: 14
Kudos: 45





	1. New Year, New Life

"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a startling report."

"A while ago, there was an explosion on the Moonlight Bridge."

"No one can determine what caused the explosion, but it seems there is only one survivor: a seven-year-old girl with brown hair."

"By the time the police came to retrieve the girl, she could only cry out the name 'Makoto' repeatedly."

"One can presume what she had witnessed left her emotionally scarred."

"With only a few eye witnesses unable to explain what happened in full detail, all we know is the explosion was caused by a car crash."

"This had caused lasting damage to the bridge that appears to be irreversible."

"We can only hope things can improve from here on out."

* * *

**Ten Years Later...**

It was a peaceful evening in Tatsumi Port Island. As usual, people commuting to and from various places. There was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary occurring on this typical night. And all throughout the island, people were just minding their own business. But for a specific group of individuals, they were completely unaware their lives were about to change forever...

But we'll get to those people later. For now, let us focus on a particular teenage girl, who had boarded a train. This girl, named Kotone Yuki-Shiomi, had auburn hair tied up in a high ponytail with silver barrettes clipped to the side and she wore a dark sweater, a knee-length black skirt, white leggings, and black flats. At a glance, she would look remarkably common among a crowd of people. And you know what? You would be absolutely right. There was nothing special about this girl.

Yet despite this seemingly ordinary-looking outlook, Kotone has a surprisingly tragic background. But it didn't start out like that. Her life began in 1992, when she was born alongside her fraternal twin brother, Makoto. Their parents worked at ordinary office jobs with no criminal record. During their youth, Makoto and Kotone were always very polite to their neighbors and had a very good upbringing. The two were practically inseparable, even during their kindergarten class. And for a while, everything went well for then.

Then one evening, in 1999, during a family drive to an amusement park, there was a serious car crash on the Moonlight Bridge. While Kotone's memories of the night are a bit foggy, there's one detail she clearly remembers: the sight of her brother crushed underneath burning debris, reaching out to her. She could only cry out his name as the police came to escort her to safety. She was hospitalized for a few days before being escorted to foster care.

Since then, Kotone's life was never the same. For the past ten years, she has transferred to numerous schools and families as she grew up. While she was still upset about the accident, she instead chose to mask her grief with a smile, developing a bubbly and cheerful personality as she grew up. As a result, she indirectly formed a complex, refusing to let other people see her cry.

So what was Kotone doing on a train this late at night? Why, she was heading over to her new home, Iwatodai Dormitory, for her new school life in Gekkoukan High School. During the train ride, she was listening to classical music on her MP3 player. It might be strange for a person her age to like that type of music, but for her, she found it relaxing to listen to, finding herself engrossed in the soothing sounds of composures from so many years ago. And at the moment, she was listening to [Cello Sonata No. 3](https://youtu.be/l2Ucu0qiieY) as she waited for her stop.

"Due to a malfunction in the switching system, today's rail schedule has been greatly altered," the train conductor announced. "We apologize to any customers who were in a hurry. The next stop is Iwatodai."

Some time later, the train stopped. Kotone gathered up her bags and left the train, hearing an announcement as she set foot in the train station.

"This is the final train bound for Tatsumi Port Island. Please take care to board before our departure."

As Kotone left the train station and headed out into the streets, the whole city went dark and large coffins suddenly popped up on the streets. But surprisingly, this didn't phase her in the slightest. "Hello again, mysterious coffins," she said aloud, almost like she was familiar with this atmosphere.

But before Kotone could continue, she pressed the Skip button on her MP3 player until she got to a particular song: [Moonlight Sonata](https://youtu.be/4Tr0otuiQuU). As she listened to the song, she started dancing in the coffin-filled street, letting her body get lost in the music. Her feet tapped along to the slow beat and her body swayed in the eerie moonlight. Her dance was similar to that of a sad waltz, fitting for the current atmosphere.

Surprised? Well for Kotone, she had always experienced these calm nights for as long as she could remember. While the sudden appearance of coffins surprised her at first, she grew used to them, almost like it was simply commonplace for her. She never understood why this always happens to her, especially why everyone else around her disappears.

Eventually Kotone arrived at Iwatodai Dormitory. Still entrapped by the music, she walked through the front door, completely unaware of the small boy in prison outfit that was in the main lobby. "Welcome," he said.

But to his surprise, Kotone paid no attention to him, humming along to the music. Getting somewhat annoyed by her ignorance, he walked up to her and tugged on her sweater. That was enough to capture her attention as she stopped dancing and turned off her MP3 player. "Can I help you?" she asked as she took off her headphones.

The boy took a deep breath before continuing. "You're late," he said. "I've been waiting a long time." He escorted Kotone over to the front desk, presenting a sheet of paper in what appeared to be a red menu cover.

"What's this for?" Kotone asked.

"If you want to proceed, then please sign here," the boy explained. "It's a contract."

Kotone's gaze shifted between the contract and this mysterious boy. "There's no need to be scared," he reassured. "It only binds you to accepting full responsibility for your actions."

Kotone looked at the contract. Sure enough, it read the following message:

**Time never waits.**

**It delivers all equally to the same end.**

**I hereby agree to the statement above, and I chooseth this fate of mine own free will.**

While a bit confused, Kotone signed her name and gave the contract to the boy. He looked at it. "Very well, Ms. Yuki-Shiomi," he said.

"It's just Shiomi," Kotone corrected. "Yuki-Shiomi is a bit of a mouthful."

"If you say so, Ms. Shiomi," the boy replied. "Time is something no one can escape. It delivers us all to the same end. Wishing won't make it go away." He smiled slightly. "As so it begins..."

The boy disappeared, seemingly melting into the darkness. After that, the room went back to being quiet. Shrugging off any confusion, Kotone was about to put her headphones back on and get back to listening to her mu-

"Who's there?!"

Surprised, Kotone looked around, only to be greeted by a teenage girl with light brown hair and a pink sweater. She smiled and approached her. "Hi there!" she said. "My name's Kotone Shiomi." She held out her hand. "Pleased to meet you!"

But the teenage girl didn't shake back. Instead, she took a few steps back. "How can you be..." she muttered as her eyes widened in fear. "But it's...!" Her hand shakily drew closer to a holster she was wearing. "Don't tell me..."

"Wait!"

That new voice came from another teenage girl, a redhead who appeared to be older. She walked over to the two as the lights came back on. "You must be Kotone Yuki-Shiomi," she said. "I didn't think you'd arrive so late."

"There was a bit of a delay with the train schedule on the way over here," Kotone explained. "So who are you?"

"My name is Mitsuru Kirijo," the redhead answered. "I'm one of the students who live in this dorm."

"Who's she?" the sweater-wearing girl asked.

"She's a transfer student," Mitsuru clarified. "It was a last-minute decision to assign her here. She'll eventually be moved to a room in the normal dorm."

"Is it okay for her to be here?" the sweater-wearing girl wondered.

"I guess we'll see," Mitsuru replied. She looked back at Kotone. "This is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a junior this spring, just like you."

The sweater-wearing girl, Yukari," shyly waved. "...Hi, I'm Yukari."

Kotone tried her greeting again. "Nice to meet you," she said, holding out her hand once again.

"Uh, y-yeah..." Yukari stammered as she slowly shared hands with Kotone for a few seconds. "Nice to meet you, too..."

"It's getting late," Mitsuru informed. "You'll find your room on the third floor. The rest of your things should already be there. I suggest you tuck in for the night."

"Oh... I'll show you the way," Yukari volunteered. "Follow me."

* * *

On the third floor, Yukari brought Kotone over to a door. "This is it," she said. "Pretty easy to remember, huh? Since it's right at the end of the hall."

"It kind of is," Kotone agreed with a slight laugh.

"So, any questions?" Yukari asked.

"Just one," Kotone replied. "Who was that young boy I met earlier?"

"What boy?" Yukari questioned.

"I met someone who was wearing a prisoner uniform," Kotone recalled. "He asked me to sign a contract. Is he someone who lives in this dorm?"

"What are you talking about?" Yukari wondered, looking confused. "C'mon, it’s not funny." It was almost like she didn't know what Kotone was talking about. "Um... Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what?" Kotone asked in response.

"On your way here from the station, was everything okay?" Yukari checked.

Kotone froze up. She wanted to tell Yukari about the coffins, but after a few moments of silence, she smiled. "Yeah," she spoke, not wanting to confuse this girl she just met. "Everything was okay."

"I see..." Yukari said. "Never mind, then." She smiled as well. "Well, I'd better get going. I'm sure you still have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay? Good night."

* * *

A while later, Kotone had freshened up and changed into a pastel floral nightgown for bed. As she slept, she thought about what had occurred. First the usual nighttime coffins appear, then a boy asked her to sign a contract, and finally she met what were presumably her new roommates for now.

But what bothered her was how Yukari was acting. Why did she ask her if everything was okay? For Kotone, everything *was* okay. Yet what would have Yukari reacted if she mentioned the coffins? Scared? Confused? Think she was speaking nonsense?

_"Oh well,"_ Kotone thought to herself. _"It's probably no big deal. I'll just carry things out normally and hope things turn out well at my new school."_


	2. An Ordinary School Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotone begins her new life as a Gekkoukan High School student.

_ knock, knock, knock _

Kotone groaned as she sat up. "It's Yukari," a voice called out from outside. "Are you awake?"

"I am now," Kotone responded.

Yukari then proceeded to open the door. "Good morning," she cheerfully said. "Did you sleep okay?"

Kotone stretched her arms. "I was," she yawned. "What are you even doing here?"

"Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school," Yukari answered. "Are you ready to go?"

"I will in a few minutes," Kotone pointed out.

"Okay," Yukari replied. "You should find your uniform in the closet. Meet me in the lobby when you're ready."

As Yukari left the room, Kotone got up and walked over to the closet. Sure enough, she found her uniform inside. She got dressed for school and for the finishing touches, she got her MP3 player and tied her hair up in the usual ponytail. After checking her reflection in the mirror, she left the room to meet up with Yukari.

* * *

Some time later, the two girls boarded the New City passenger train Anehazuru. "We have to take the monorail to get there," Yukari explained. "Bet your last school wasn't like that, huh?"

"No, it wasn't," Kotone replied, amazed at the scenery. "I used to just walk to school." She smiled wide. "It feels like I'm gliding over the sea."

"It does," Yukari agreed. "This is my favorite part."

"So what's the stop for the school?" Kotone asked.

"Port Island Station," Yukari answered. "It's at the end of the line. From there, we walk."

"Sounds easy enough," Kotone commented.

"So have you ever heard of Tatsumi Port Island?" Yukari asked. "It's a man-made island. They built our school right in the middle." She peered out the window. "Oh look, you can see it now!"

Sure enough, as the train got closer to Port Island Station, Kotone could see the school...sort of. At the moment, all she could see was a tall monument. "You mean that thing right there?" she asked.

"Yep!" Yukari happily confirmed. "You can't tell at the moment, but it's a lot more impressive up close."

* * *

After leaving the train station, it took the two girls a while to get to Gekkoukan High School. And sure enough, Yukari was right. The school looked like something out of a movie, complete with blooming cherry blossom petals near the entrance. Without even realizing it, she stopped walking to admire the scenery, seeing students enter the building as they said hi to one another. The very sight left her speechless, with only an excited breath leaving her lips.

"Well, here we are," Yukari said. "Welcome to Gekkoukan High! You're gonna love it here!"

"Wow..." Kotone muttered, her feet firmly planted in place.

Yukari let out an amused sigh. "Come on, you can admire the school later," she pointed out, grabbing Kotone's wrist and dragging her towards the school. "You can't be late to class on your first day."

When the two girls entered the school, they proceeded to change into their indoor shoes at the lockers. "You're okay from here, right?" Yukari checked. "You should go see your home room teacher first. The Faculty Office is right there to the left." She smiled. "And that concludes the tour! Do you have any questions before I go?"

"Just one," Kotone replied. "Where's my classroom?"

"I think they're posted on the bulletin board, but I haven't checked yet either," Yukari answered. But then she frowned slightly. "Hey... About last night... Don't tell anyone what you saw, okay?"

"Sure... Of course not," Kotone said with a smile. Part of her wondered why Yukari was somewhat bothered by that, anyway.

"Great!" Yukari replied. "See you later."

After parting ways with Yukari, Kotone walked over to the bulletin board in the main lobby. She noticed there were many people standing in front of it, mostly other students. But when she walked over to check her name, she quickly realized her name wasn't even on the student roster. Instead, it was on a small post-it note attached to the side.

Kotone Shiomi — Class F

Out of curiosity, Kotone checked the rest of the student roster for Class F. To her delight, Yukari was also on the list. _"Looks like we'll be in the same class,"_ the brunette thought to herself.

* * *

After asking the other students and faculty for help, Kotone was able to get to the Faculty Office. Upon arriving there, she was greeted by a woman teacher. "Oh, are you the new student?" she asked.

"Yep," Kotone answered. "I'm Kotone Shiomi."

The teacher checked a clipboard. "Kotone Shiomi..." she checked. "That's strange. It says your name is Kotone Yuki-Shiomi."

"You can leave out the 'Yuki' bit," Kotone corrected. "'Yuki-Shiomi' is a bit of a mouthful."

"Very well," the teacher replied. She flipped through a few pages on the clipboard. "Wow, you've lived in a lot of different places... Let's see... In 1999... That was what, ten years ago? Your parents-" She gasped.

Kotone flinched slightly, knowing exactly why the teacher gasped. "I'm sorry..." she apologized. "I've been so busy, I didn't have time to read this beforehand."

"Nah, it's alright," Kotone replied. "It doesn't bother me as much anymore."

This was entirely true. Yet while Kotone isn't bothered by her parents' death, she's more upset with her brother's death. The sight of him weakly reaching out to her underneath rubble traumatized her so much that it took her a good number of weeks to recover. Even then, the image still haunts her mind, even to this very day.

"I'm Ms. Toriumi," the teacher said, introducing herself. "I teach Composition. Welcome to our school."

Kotone bowed slightly in response. "I'm pleased to meet you," she said.

"My, aren't you polite?" Ms. Toriumi complimented. "Girls like you should be an example for others."

"Thank you," Kotone replied as she stood to her full height.

"Have you seen the classroom assignments?" Ms. Toriumi asked. "You're in Class 2-F. That's my class. But first, we need to go to the auditorium. The Welcoming Ceremony will be starting soon." She walked towards the door. "Follow me."

* * *

During the Welcoming Ceremony, Kotone sat in silence as the principal spoke. Yet despite his seemingly bored tone, she listened carefully, wanting to make a good first impression. Yet as he continued to speak, she couldn't help but hear two boys sitting behind her whispering.

"I heard we got a transfer student."

"Yep. I've seen her, too. She came to school with Yukari."

Suddenly, another teacher spoke up. "I hear talking," he said in a stern tone. "I believe it's someone in Ms. Toriumi's class."

Ms. Toriumi shushed the other teacher. "Be quiet!" she spoke in a hushed tone. "You're going to get me in trouble!"

But given from what the other students were whispering about, it didn't seem like the rumors will stop anytime soon..  


* * *

Kotone's first day of school was completely uneventful, much to her relief. After her introduction to her new classmates, she took note on all of her teachers and paid attention to all the lectures. But there were a few students who dozed off at times, something she would never do.

Eventually the school day came to an end. But as Kotone was gathering her things, she was greeted by a male student wearing a baseball cap. "'Sup, dude?" he asked with a cheerful grin.

Kotone was so surprised by this student's appearance that no words left her mouth. The unfamiliar face chuckled. "You look like a deer in headlights," he commented.

"Uh... Who are you?" Kotone finally asked after a few seconds of stunned silence.

"Me?" the student asked in response. "I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya. I transferred here when I was in 8th grade. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid, so I thought I'd check up on you, make sure you weren't freaking out on your first day."

"Thanks...but this isn't the first time I was a transfer student," Kotone pointed out.

At that moment, Yukari approached the two. "Hey, it's Yuka-tan!" Junpei exclaimed. "I didn't think we'd be in the same class again."

Yukari let out a frustrated sigh. "At it again, huh?" she asked Junpei with her arms crossed. "Honestly, is there any girl you wouldn't hit on? Did you ever think you might be bothering someone?"

"What?" Junpei asked. "But I was just bein' friendly!"

"If you say so," Yukari stated. She looked over at Kotone. "Anyway, some coincidence that we'd be in the same homeroom, huh?"

Kotone slightly giggled. "I'm glad to have a friend."

"A friend?" Yukari repeated. She blinked. "Oh...you mean me."

"Well, yeah," Kotone confirmed. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"Yeah..." Yukari agreed, surprised at Kotone's words. "I-I'm glad we ended up in the same class, too."

"Um, hello?" Junpei asked. "Did you forget I'm in this class too? C'mon, lemme in on the fun! By the way, do you guys really know each other? I heard you two came to school together this morning." He smirked. "A couple of cuties like you, walking side-by-side... The whole class was buzzing about you."

Yukari looked offended. "Could you just cut it out?" she asked with a groan. "I hate dealing with rumors like that. I mean, I'm used to it, but Kotone just got here, you know? Don't you feel bad, spreading rumors like that?" She sighed in exasperation. "Well, I've gotta go take care of some archery team stuff. Don't try anything funny, you got that, Junpei?"

As Yukari left the classroom, Junpei looked back at Kotone. "What is she, your nanny?" he asked.

Kotone could only stare at Junpei in silence, not sure how to respond. "Well, just to clear something up, I seriously didn't come over here to hit on you or anything," he clarified. He gave Kotone a thumbs-up. "If you ever have a problem, you can tell your ol' pal Junpei about it!"

Kotone let out a small laugh. "I'll remember that," she said with a smile.

"Heh, cool," Junpei chuckled. "Well, I'll be seeing you around, then."

* * *

Turns out Kotone ended up seeing Junpei a while later. He caught up to her in the halls and insisted to walk her back to the dorm. They ended up making some small talk as they walked, like the various clubs at school.

That evening, Kotone arrived at the dorm, where she was greeted by Mitsuru. After filling in the sign-up sheet on the counter, she went back to her room to get ready for bed. After all, there wasn't much for her to do in the dorm, which she didn't mind. So far it was turning out to be a relaxing school year. What was there for her to worry about?

As Kotone headed for the staircase, she crossed paths with a white-haired boy wearing a red vest. "So you're the transfer student," he said, but he didn't stop for a conversation. He simply walked past her for the lobby, leaving her confused.

Was that another student?

* * *

The next day, on the way to school, Kotone overheard a few students talking.

"Did you hear the rumor?"

"Oh um... Something about...a bathroom?"

"N-No! Not that one! I mean the story about the first-year student! Not only did she stop coming to school, she does nothing but sit and stare at the walls all day. If her mother tries to talk to her, she only matters to herself 'It's coming... It's coming!'."

"Huh. How about that."

"You don't believe me...?"

_"A rumor, huh?"_ Kotone thought to herself. She had to keep that in mind as the first bell rang.


	3. Beginning Abnormality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotone’s normal school life is unexpectedly interrupted by a sudden awakening.

After yet another boring day at school, Kotone headed back to the dorm. But this time, as soon as she arrived, she noticed Yukari was in the lobby with an unfamiliar man. Who was he and why was he here?

"Oh, she's back," Yukari commented.

"So, this is Kotone Yuki-Shiomi, our new guest," the man stated.

Kotone walked over to the sofa and sat next to Yukari. "Nice to meet you," she said.

"Good evening," the man replied. "My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school." He paused. "'Ikutsuki'..." He chuckled. "Hard to say, isn't it? That's why I don't like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes."

"I can relate," Kotone agreed. "That's why I prefer to go by 'Shiomi' instead of my full last name."

"Now then, I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations," Mr. Ikutsuki continued. "However, it may take a while longer before you receive the proper room assignment. So, do you have any questions?"

"Just a few," Kotone admitted. "Who else lives here?"

"There are only four students in this dorm," Mr. Ikutsuki answered. "You, Yukari here, Mitsuru, and a senior named Akihiko Sanada. I hope you all get along."

"Akihiko..." Kotone muttered. Her thoughts went back to the boy she ran into last night. "Does he have white hair and wears a red vest?"

"That is correct," Mr. Ikutsuki confirmed. "I take it you already met him."

"Just once," Kotone explained. "So who's the young boy wearing a prisoner uniform? I met him when I first came to the dorm and he was acting a bit odd, wanting me to sign a contract and talking about fate."

Yukari was silent. "You were probably just tired," Mr. Ikutsuki replied. "I wouldn't worry about it. It's bad for your complexion, you know."

"Um... Okay," Kotone said, realizing something truly didn't seem right about his response. "Then I guess that answers all my questions."

"I hope you have a successful school year," Mr. Ikutsuki said. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." He stood up. "You must be tired from all the excitement. You should go to be early. As they say, 'the early bird catches the bookworm'!" He chuckled. "Please forgive the bad pun."

Yukari groaned. "You'll get used to his jokes."

* * *

But later that night, as Kotone slept, something strange was going on in a certain room. Specifically, a control room, where Yukari and Mitsuru were monitoring a certain someone through a large monitor.

At that moment, Mr. Ikutsuki entered. "So, how's Ms. Yuki-Shiomi doing?" he asked.

"She went to bed a little while ago," Mitsuru reported. "Mr. Chairman, do you think she‘s...?"

"Well, let's wait and see for now," Mr. Ikutsuki suggested. "The Dark Hour is approaching."

As if on cue, the entire room suddenly turned green. But it wasn't just the room. Throughout the island, all power went dead and people suddenly transformed into coffins. Well, not everyone turned into coffins. Only a few people were left intact...only to dissolve into black goo in a matter of seconds. But as for Kotone, absolutely nothing happened to her.

"Hmm... She's still sleeping," Mr. Ikutsuki commented. "As you two already know, an ordinary person transmogrifies into a coffin and is oblivious to all that occurs."

"Then, Kotone must be..." Yukari realized.

"As you can see, Ms. Yuki-Shiomi has retained her human form," Mr. Ikutsuki continued. "She's asleep, but she's definitely experiencing the Dark Hour. The only question that remains is whether or not she has the potential. Although she must. If she didn't, they would've preyed on her by now."

"Scary..." Yukari muttered with a slight frown.

"In any case, we should continue to monitor her for a few more days," Mr. Ikutsuki suggested.

"Yes, sir," Mitsuru replied.

"I feel kinda bad, though, spying on her like this..." Yukari admitted.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kotone was experiencing something rather...strange. After seeing a dark blue door with a bright flash of light inside, she had found herself in some kind of strange-looking room. It was entirely dark blue with a golden clock near the ceiling, all while she heard gears whirring and the floor appeared to be vibrating slightly. But what really perplexed her were two men who were in the room. One was tall with white hair, blue eyes, and wore a blue bellhop outfit. He stood beside the second man, who looked more frail with a long nose. This particular Tengu-like man was sitting on fancy-looking sofa in front of a large, circular table.

"H-Hello?" Kotone asked, deeply perplexed. "Who are you, and where am I?"

The Tengu-like man saw Kotone and grinned. "Welcome, Ms. Shiomi, to the Velvet Room," he spoke. Then he gestured to a lyre-shaped chair. "Come, have a seat."

Despite her confusion, Kotone walked over to the chair and sat down. "My name is Igor," the Tengu-like man continued. "I am delighted to make your acquaintance." He gestured to the tall bellhop. "This is Theodore. He's a resident here, like myself."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Theodore spoke up, bowing slightly.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter..." Igor continued. "It's been years since we've had a guest."

"Why did you bring me here?" Kotone asked.

Igor revealed a familiar-looking sheet of paper, one that she remembered signing on her first night at the dorm. "Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place," he answered. "Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. I only ask one thing in return."

"What's that?" Kotone wondered.

"That you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices you make," Igor replied.

"Uh... Sure," Kotone said. She looked around the room. "But what is this place? Some kind of dream?"

"Precisely," Igor confirmed. "You are fast asleep in the real world as we speak. This visit of yours is merely a dream. However, you will come here of your own accord, sooner or later. Now, hold out your hand."

Kotone carefully held out her hand to Igor, who placed a golden key on her palm. "Hold on to this," he advised. "It is a Velvet Key. It will allow you access to this place from the real world. 'Til we meet again..."

* * *

The next day, Kotone was still bothered by the strange dream she had. A Tengu-like man named Igor, a bellhop named Theodore, an all-blue room... She kept on thinking about it on the way to school, even as she ran into Junpei at the entrance.

"Yo..." Junpei said. He yawned and stretched his arms. "Man, I'm so sleepy today. In times like these, it's best to sleep during class!"

That snapped Kotone out of her thoughts. "What?" she bluntly asked.

"You ever notice how sometimes taking a nap in class makes you feel more refreshing than sleeping at home?" Junpei continued.

Kotone lightly punched Junpei in the shoulder in response. "Don't sleep in class," she spoke in a cold tone.

"Whaaat? Why do you have to be all serious?" Junpei asked. "That feeling of being completely recharged is awesome... But I'm screwed later since I didn't hear the lecture!" He was silent for a few seconds. "Oh, but we have classic literature today... That means we're stuck with mister nasty ol' Ekoda..."

"I don't care," Kotone dismissed. "Don't. Sleep. In. Class."

* * *

Later that day, after school, Kotone met up with Yukari and the two walked back to the dorm together. On the way back, they walked through Paulownia Mall, which was a shopping center with a large fountain in the center. "Have you come here before?" Yukari asked.

"No, I haven't," Kotone answered. "This is my first time coming here."

"A lot of Gekkoukan students come here after school," Yukari said. "There's a karaoke box and a CD shop. Oh, and a really great cafe, too! There's also a nightclub, but that's kinda not for us yet."

* * *

The following evening was a repeat of last night. As Kotone slept, Mitsuru and Yukari carefully monitored her from the control room. However, the outcome was drastically different than before.

"How is she?" Mr. Ikutsuki asked.

"The same as last night," Mitsuru reported.

Mr. Ikutsuki looked closely at the monitor. "Hmm... Very interesting," he commented. "Even those who have the potential tend to be unstable at first, much like you girls. Memory loss, disorientation... But Ms. Yuki-Shiomi is rather unique? She hasn't exhibited any of the common symptoms."

"But...we're treating her like a guinea pig," Yukari pointed out.

"I understand your concern, but it's imperative that we recruit new members," Mr. Ikutsuki defended. "I heard Ms. Yuki-Shiomi is in your class. Wouldn't you be more comfortable working with someone from the same grade? A female classmate, at that."

"Yeah, I guess," Yukari admitted. "But still..."

Suddenly, an emergency call from outside rang through the room. Mitsuru was quick to answer it. "Command room," she spoke into a microphone. "Is that you, Akihiko?"

A voice responded. "You're not gonna believe this! This thing is huge! Unfortunately, I don't have time to talk... It's chasing me... I wanted to let you guys know. I'm almost there."

"Does that mean he's bringing that thing here?!" Yukari realized.

"Mr. Chairman, let's suspend our observation for now," Mitsuru advised. "We'll prepare for battle!"

"Right!" Mr. Ikutsuki agreed. "Be careful!"

* * *

When the group arrived at the lobby, they were greeted by Akihiko, who had just closed the door. He fell over with a groan and he clutched his arm, clearly in pain.

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru cried out.

"I'm alright," Akihiko insisted. "Get ready to be surprised. It'll be here any second."

"This is no time to joke around!" Mitsuru shouted.

"It's one of them, Akihiko?" Mr. Ikutsuki wondered.

"Yes, but not an ordinary one," Akihiko confirmed.

Suddenly, the whole building trembled. "What the...?!" Yukari cried out. "You've gotta be kidding me!"

"Mr. Chairman, please head for the command room!" Mitsuru ordered. "Takeba, go upstairs and wake Shiomi up! Then escape out the back!"

"But...what about you two?" Yukari asked.

"We'll stop it here," Mitsuru answered. She looked back at Akihiko. "You led it to us, Akihiko, so I'm afraid you'll have to fight."

"Like I had a choice!" Akihiko replied as he shakily got back on his feet. "What are you waiting for, Yukari? Go!"

"I-I'm going!" Yukari stammered.

* * *

Unfortunately for Kotone, Yukari barged into her room and dragged her out of bed so quickly, she didn't even have time to get dressed. As a result, she was running up flights of stairs in her nightgown with no shoes. Yukari, on the other hand, was legitimately panicking.

"Come on!" Yukari explained as the two ran. "We'll leave through the back door!"

But suddenly, Kotone pried herself away from Yukari's grasp and took a few steps back, catching a glimpse of the night sky. She silently stared at the moon, trying to comprehend what's going on. Did this have to do with the nighttime coffins?

"Don't just stand there!" Yukari shouted. "Our lives are in danger! Do you want to die?!"

Kotone slowly turned her head to look at Yukari. "What about you?" she asked in response, her voice low and quiet.

"Huh?" Yukari muttered.

"A-Aren't you scared?" Kotone stammered slightly. "How are you able to stay so brave?"

Yukari's eyes widened. "Kotone..." she muttered. "Are you-"

"Takeba, do you read me?!"

Yukari picked up what looked like a walkie-talkie. "Y-Yes! I hear you!" she spoke into it.

"Be careful!" Mitsuru warned through the walkie-talkie. "There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one Akihiko saw!"

"What?!" Yukari yelped.

As if on cue, the building shook, causing Yukari to gasp. "L-Let's pull back!" she stammered.

* * *

Yukari breathed out a sigh of relief when she and Kotone arrived at the dormitory rooftop. But before they could relax, a tangled mess of black limbs with swords and a blue mask climbed onto the roof and approached the two. Kotone gasped loudly and covered her mouth in an attempt to stop herself from screaming. Who could blame her, though? This night was getting weirder and weirder!

"That's the thing that attacked this place..." Yukari explained. "We call them Shadows!"

Kotone slowly lowered her hand from her mouth. "That's not a shadow!" she pointed out in a panicked tone. "It looks like some weird monster! And how are we going to get past it?!"

"O-Oh yeah..." Yukari muttered. "I have to fight... I... I can summon mine... No problem..." She took out a silver gun and proceeded to point it at her head. "Here goes..." She started to breathe heavily and she placed her finger in the trigger-

WHACK!

In an instant, Yukari was knocked down and the gun landed near Kotone's feet. Her gaze switched between the monster and the gun, all while a wave of confusion hit her. She could only watch helplessly as the multi-limbed monster slowly approached Yukari. What could she do in a time like this?

_"Go on..."_ a voice whispered in the brunette's head.

The next thing Kotone knew, her started moving on its own. Without thinking, she picked up the gun and put it right up against her head. Her breathing became ragged as she saw images flash in her mind, images of the night her family died, especially the last time she saw her brother. Those thoughts clouded her mind and she smiled manically as a single word left her mouth.

"Persona..."

BANG!

Blue lights swirled around Kotone as I heard a new voice, all while a singular being materialized above her.

"Thou art I... And I am thou... From the sea of thy soul I cometh... I am Orpheus, mistress of strings..."

The being that took shape was a robotic-looking woman with long brown hair and a heart-shaped lyre. But before this woman could attack the multi-limbed monster, Kotone heard a loud cracking sound in her mind and nearly lost her footing. What resulted was a swarm of explosions coming from the woman's lyre, all directed at the multi-limbed monster.

"Kotone, wait!" Yukari called out. "You'll get yourself hurt!"

But Kotone couldn't control herself. She gasped heavily as the images of her brother blinded her reasoning, attacking the monster in a blind rage. Not even Yukari getting back on her feet and rushing over to help couldn't stop the mass destruction. Then all of a sudden...

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

In a flash of dark red, the robotic woman drastically changed appearances. Long arms emerged from her head before she exploded, revealing a completely new creature in her place. It was black with a long sword and coffins surrounding it. This creatures slashed into the multi-limbed monster, ripping it apart until there was nothing left of it. And when it was all over, the creature changed back into the robotic woman before disappearing into Kotone's body, all while she breathed heavily.

"Amazing..." Yukari breathed out. "Are you okay?"

But before Kotone could respond, she instantly collapsed, unable to respond. "Come on!" she heard Yukari cry out. "Say something!"

That was the last thing Kotone heard before she completely blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of feel bad that Igor’s dialogue is limited due to his Japanese voice actor passing away, so expect a bigger speaking role from him in the fic.


	4. Welcome to S.E.E.S.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kotone realizes her life will never be the same again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: Like how FemMC’s route is meant to parallel MC’s route, Kotone’s story is meant to parallel the events of the four Persona 3 movies, so expect slight altercations to certain moments from the movies.

A while later, Kotone regained consciousness. But instead of waking up on the dormitory rooftop, she was back in the Velvet Room. Which can only mean one thing: she was still unconscious in the real world.

"It's so nice to see you again, Ms. Shiomi," Igor spoke up. "You became unconscious after awakening to your power. It's nothing to worry about, though. So, just relax. By the way..." He revealed a Tarot card labeled 'Fool'. "I see that it was Orpheus that headed your calling. How fitting for someone like you, as you show appreciation of the fine arts."

"Orpheus..." Kotone repeated. "That was the robotic woman, right?"

"Correct," Igor confirmed. "That power is called a Persona. It is a manifestation of your psyche."

That confused Kotone. "What do you mean?" she wondered.

"A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli..." Igor clarified. "You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."

"That's what Orpheus is?" Kotone checked. "My...mask?"

"When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength," Igor continued. "The ability evolves as you develop your Social Links, your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability. Please remember that."

"I'll try," Kotone replied.

"Now, then..." Igor said. "Time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you hear any longer. Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord. Until then, farewell."

* * *

Some time later, Kotone woke up...only to see a white ceiling. It took her a while to realize she was in a bed, wearing a pale blue robe.

"You're awake!"

That voice came from Yukari, who was sitting on a nearby chair with a white shopping bag. "Um, how do you feel?" she asked.

Kotone looked around the room. "Where am I?" she wondered.

Yukari breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness," she said. "You finally came to. This is Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. It's just a short walk from the station. The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were just exhausted. But you kept sleeping and sleeping. You know how worried I was?" She was silent for a few seconds. "Um... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything. But your power... It was amazing."

"Yeah, but...what was that thing?" Kotone wondered.

"You mean the Shadow?" Yukari asked in response. "They're what we're fighting against. And the power you used... We call it Persona. We'll explain everything later. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I, uh... I wanted to tell you that...I'm sorta like you."

"So you also have a robotic woman pop out of your head by shooting yourself?" Kotone guessed.

"Not just that," Yukari clarified. "My dad died in an accident when I was little, and my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms. You're all alone too, right?"

Kotone was surprised. "How did you...?"

"To be honest, I already know about your past..." Yukari explained. "But it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine. It was back in '99... There was a big explosion in the area. Supposedly, my dad died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened."

Kotone frowned. "That's exactly what happened to my parents and brother..." she revealed. "We were on our way to an amusement park. I guess it was bad timing that we were caught in the explosion."

"It was different for me," Yukari continued. "My dad was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group. So I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find out something. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you. Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help. It was my first time fighting them, too. I'm sorry... You wouldn't have to go through all this if I wasn't such a coward."

"Don't blame yourself," Kotone reassured. "You saw how scared I was last night."

"I remember," Yukari said. "But still..." She sighed. "And here I am telling you all this the minute you wake up. While I was waiting, I thought to myself, 'I've been hiding so many thing from her. As soon as she wakes up, I'll tell her the truth.'. So thanks for listening. I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time." She stood up. "Alright, I'm gonna get going. I'll let the others know you woke up."

"So what's in the bag?" Kotone asked.

Yukari looked at the white bag in her hand. "...Oh, right," she gave the bag to Kotone. "I got you a change of clothes for when you leave the hospital. I wasn't sure what you would like, so I bought something nice."

Kotone looked inside the bag and was surprised. From what she could see, there was pale pink top with long, flowing sleeves and a denim skirt. That wasn't what she usually wore, but maybe a change in style wouldn't hurt...

"Thanks," Kotone said with a small smile. "I like it."

Yukari smiled as well. "Us second-year girls gotta stick up for each other after all," she said. "Including wardrobe emergencies."

* * *

Kotone was able to go to school the next day. When she got to the entrance, she was greeted by none other than Junpei. "Yo, long time no see," he said. "What's up? Did you have an upset stomach or something?"

"Uh... S-Something..." Kotone stammered.

"Anyways, I got something to tell ya," Junpei said.

"What is it?" Kotone asked.

"Actually..." Junpei said. But then he stopped speaking. "Oh, wait! I'm not supposed to say anything! Sorry, man." He chuckled.

Yukari, who walked up to the two, was unimpressed. "Sheesh, someone's full of energy today..." she commented. "I could hear you from all the way over there."

"Hey, it's Yuka-tan," Junpei greeted. "You two live in the same dorm, yet came separately today? Is it because you'll cause too many rumors again?"

"What?" Yukari asked. "I just left a little late!" She grabbed Kotone by the arm. "Anyways, I need to talk to Kotone. Bye, Junpei."

Junpei looked confused. "Whaaaat..."

When the two girls were a good enough distance from Junpei, Yukari learned closer to Kotone. "Are you feeling better, Kotone?" she questioned.

"A little," Kotone admitted.

"Um, sorry to hit you with this first thing in the morning, but Ikutsuki-san wants to talk to you today," Yukari revealed. "Come to the fourth floor of the dorm after school, okay? Don't forget."

"Okay...I guess," Kotone replied. What did he want to talk to her about?

* * *

When Kotone went back to the dorm that evening, she quickly noticed there wasn't anyone there in the lobby. Recalling what Yukari told her earlier in the day, she headed for the fourth floor. And speaking of Yukari, she brought her over to a specific room on the fourth floor, where Mitsuru, Mr. Ikutsuki, and Akihiko were presumably waiting for her.

"Ah, there you are," Mr. Ikutsuki said. "I'm glad that you're okay. I wasn't sure what I'd do if anything had happened to you."

"So what's with the meeting?" Kotone questioned.

"The reason I asked you here is because I needed to talk to you," Mr. Ikutsuki answered. "Please, have a seat."

Kotone and Yukari sat on a maroon sofa, right next to Mitsuru. "I recall you telling me you two have already met, but this is Akihiko," Mr. Ikutsuki continued.

"How ya doin'?" Akihiko greeted.

"Okay, let me start off by asking you this..." Mr. Ikutsuki told Kotone. "Would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than 24 hours?"

Kotone froze up. "Uh... 24 hours...?" She repeated. "Excuse me?" She let out a nervous laugh. "What's next, that it's perfectly normal for a person my age to see nighttime coffins pop up everywhere as most people mysteriously disappear?" She realized what she just said. "...N-Not that I see those things a lot."

That surprised Yukari. "Wha-? You know about the Dark Hour?"

Kotone's eyes widened. "So I'm not crazy?" she asked, sounding relieved. "You guys also see the nighttime coffins?"

"There's more to that," Mitsuru spoke up. "When those 'nighttime coffins', as you call them, appeared... Didn't it feel like you were in a different time?"

"Not exactly," Kotone admitted. "I got used to seeing them for so many years that I stopped caring about why it kept happening."

"That time period goes by a special name," Mitsuru continued. "It's called the Dark Hour, a time period hidden between one day and the next."

"I still don't get it..." Kotone muttered slightly.

"I know how you feel," Mr. Ikutsuki said. "Who would believe such a story? But the Dark Hour occurs each night, right at midnight. It'll happen tonight, and every night to come."

"Normal people don't realize it, since they're all sleeping inside those same coffins," Akihiko added. "But that's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting. You saw those creatures. We call them Shadows."

"I know," Kotone replied. "Yukari told me that yesterday at the hospital. But why fight them?"

"They only appear during the Dark Hour and attack anyone not in a coffin," Akihiko answered. "It's our job to defeat them." He smiled slightly. "Sounds exciting, huh?"

"Akihiko! Why are you always like that?" Mitsuru scolded, sounding annoyed. "You just got hurt the other day!"

"Now, now," Mr. Ikutsuki stepped in. "He does his work well." He looked back at Kotone. "Long story short, we're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. S.E.E.S. for short. On paper, we're classified as a school club. But in reality, this group is dedicated to defeating the Shadows. Mitsuru is the leader. I'm the club advisor."

"A Shadow feels on the mind of its prey," Mitsuru explained. "The victim becomes a living corpse. They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, of not all of them."

"Then why don't you just call the police?" Kotone wondered. "Why fight those things yourselves?"

"Unfortunately, the police can't do anything during the Dark Hour," Mitsuru answered.

"Although rare, there are those who can function during the Dark Hour," Mr. Ikutsuki continued. "Some May even awaken to a power that enables them to fight the Shadows."

"Those Persona things..." Kotone recalled. "Like that robot woman called 'Orpheus'."

"Correct," Mr. Ikutsuki confirmed. "The Shadows can only be defeated by Persona users. Which means, it's all up to you guys."

"Wait... Does that include me?" Kotone quickly realized. "I'm not sure I'm ready..."

Mitsuru opened a silver briefcase on the table, revealing various objects, which included a silver gun. "But we want you to join us," she insisted. "We've prepared an Evoker for you. We'd like you to lend us your strength."

"Thanks, but I really don't want to get into that stuff," Kotone nervously dismissed. "This whole Shadow business sounds dangerous and I'm kind of scared of dying..."

"Don't think too much," Akihiko reassured. "Just hang out with us for a while."

"Please, we need your help," Mitsuru bluntly stated.

"Hey, don't say it like that!" Yukari defended. "How would Kotone be able to say no under all that pressure? Don't get me wrong. It'd be nice if she joined, but..."

Realizing she didn't have a choice, Kotone let out a miffed sigh. "Okay, I'll do it," she decided. "But just for now."

"Thank you," Mitsuru said. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

"Thank you so much," Mr. Ikutsuki said. "I'm really glad. Oh, I almost forgot... About your room assignment... Why don't you just stay here, in your current room? I don't know what the holdup is, but I guess it worked out in the end." He chuckled.

"Holdup?" Yukari repeated. "But wasn't that-" She paused. "Oh, never mind..."

With that, Kotone Shiomi officially joined S.E.E.S. to fight Shadows. But she insisted that it was only temporary. After all, she was still afraid of dying. But if the others kept on insisting, she figured she had no choice but to play along for now.

* * *

That night, as Kotone was trying to sleep, she somehow felt someone's presence. Sure enough, as soon as she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a familiar face. But not just any familiar face. It was the same one from her first night, the boy in a prison uniform.

"Hi, how are you?" the boy asked.

Kotone wasn't exactly happy to see this boy. "Geez, it's about time you showed up!" she exclaimed. "Who are you, and why haven't I seen you around lately?!"

"So you do remember," the boy noted. He chuckled. "Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought I should tell you."

"Uh... Thanks?" Kotone asked, not quite sure what 'the end' meant.

The boy let out a polite laugh. "I wasn't expecting you to thank me," he spoke up. "But you're welcome." He paused. "That...is what I'm supposed to say, right?"

"So what do you mean by 'the end'?" Kotone wondered.

"...I don't really know what this 'end' is about, either," the boy admitted. "Oh, looks like you've awakened to your power...and an unusual power it is. A power that takes many forms, yet is bound by none. It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up." He paused. "As I said earlier, you remember when we first met."

"What about it?" Kotone questioned.

"I expect you to honor your commitment," the boy answered, referring to the contract. I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me... Okay then, see you later."

And with that, the boy disappeared into the shadows, leaving Kotone even more puzzled than she already was. Who was that boy, and what did he mean by 'the end'?


	5. The Gates of Tartarus!!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Kotone now a part of S.E.E.S., she soon learns there’s more to school than meets the eye...

Even with the unexpected change in Kotone's life, her school life was pretty much the same. And just like any other day, she met up with Yukari at the entrance.

"Um... Thanks about yesterday," Yukari said. "Akihiko-senpai's injured too, and I was really uneasy about working alone with Mitsuru-senpai..."

"Hey, don't sweat it," Kotone replied. "Just leave it to me! I got your back!"

"Yeah! Let's do our best together!" Yukari agreed. "But I wonder when Senpai's injury is going to heal. He said that wasn't a major injury..."

* * *

The school day was as boring as ever, something Yukari agreed. "I thought I was gonna fall asleep in there..." she yawned as she stretched her arms.

At that moment, Mitsuru walked in and approached the two girls. "Can I have a minute?" she asked. "Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm. I have something to tell everyone. I'll save the details for later. See you there."

Mitsuru left as she was done. "That was fast..." Kotone commented.

"She's probably busy with things like Student Council, unlike us," Yukari dismissed.

Junpei overheard the conversation and approached the two. "Whoa, Yuka-tan! Do I sense some hostility?" he teased.

"Well, it's not that I don't like her," Yukari said. "She's just..."

"Too serious?" Kotone guessed.

"N-Never mind," Yukari stammered, indicating Kotone was right. "Let's go, Kotone."

* * *

On the way back to the dorm, Kotone and Yukari walked through the Iwatodai Strip Mall. They ended up stopping by a clothing store in the area, with Kotone wanting to get some new outfits for herself. As much as she likes the outfit Yukari got for her, she wanted to see what else the store had to offer. So at the moment, the two girls were searching through various racks as they chatted.

"A-About earlier..." Yukari spoke up. "It's not that I don't like her or anything, y'know?" She paused. "Oh, I'm talking about Mitsuru-senpai..."

"I figured you were," Kotone replied.

Yukari sighed. "Why's Junpei always have to talk about stuff that isn't any of his business, huh?!" she wondered. "Plus, he says it all in the creepiest, most perverted way. He's like the poster boy for sexual harassment."

"Come on, he can't be that bad," Kotone said as she held up a cream-colored sweater.

"That's because you just moved here," Yukari explained. "We've known each other since elementary school, so I know exactly what kind of person he is."

* * *

That evening, Kotone and Yukari returned to the dorm with their newfound purchases. After putting their bags in their respected rooms, they met up with Mitsuru and Akihiko on the fourth floor in the command room.

"Welcome back," Mitsuru greeted the two girls.

"We were waiting for you," Akihiko said. "There's someone I wanna introduce."

"Huh?" Yukari muttered.

"Who?" Kotone questioned.

As if on cue, a familiar face entered. But it wasn't just any familiar face. It was...

"Junpei?!" Kotone asked in alarm.

The cap-wearing teen nervously chuckled in response. "Wazzup?" he asked.

"This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F," Akihiko introduced. "He'll be staying here as of today."

"Actually... We already know him," Kotone pointed out, referring to herself and Yukari. "We're in the same class."

"He's staying HERE?!" Yukari exclaimed. "You've gotta be kidding me!"

"I bumped into him the other night," Akihiko explained. "He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently. I told him about us and he agreed to help."

"You have the potential?!" Yukari asked Junpei. "For real?!"

"He found me cryin' like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins," Junpei chimed in. "I don't remember much, but man, that's embarrassing! He said that's, ya know, completely normal in the beginning. Like bein' confused and not remembering anything. Did ya guys know that?"

"No, actually," Kotone admitted. "I was okay.I guess that's because I always saw those coffins since I was younger."

"Heeey, don't feel bad!" Junpei reassured, placing a hand on Kotone's shoulder. "It happens to all us Persona users." He released his grasp. "But man, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea. I'm glad I'm not the only one. It could get kinda lonely, ya know. I bet you're stoked too, right? Havin' me join... It'd be nice to have a guy around too, wouldn't it?"

"Huh?" Yukari muttered. "Uh... Y-Yeah..."

"So anyway, glad to join the team, Kotone," Junpei continued.

"Thanks..." Kotone replied, still surprised by the new teammate. "Let's do our best."

"You can count on me!" Junpei encouraged.

"Well, enough with the introductions," Akihiko spoke up. "I think we're about ready."

That pleased Junpei. "Ooh, we're gonna go do somethin'?" he guessed. "Sweetness!"

Kotone and Yukari, on the other hand, were confused. "Ready for what?" Kotone wondered.

"With this many people, we can start exploring that place," Akihiko vaguely explained.

But while Kotone was still confused, Yukari was able to understand what Akihiko meant. "You mean...Tartarus?" she guessed.

"We believe we can find the reason for the Dark Hour there," Akihiko clarified.

"I hope so..." Yukari nervously agreed.

At that moment, Mr. Ikutsuki arrived with various weapons, which included a sword, a bow with a quiver full of arrows, and a naginata. "Good, everyone's here," he commented. "I'd like your undivided attention."

"What's this...'tartar sauce' thing Sanada-senpai mentioned?" Kotone questioned.

"Allow me to explain," Mr. Ikutsuki replied. "For a long time, Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona users we had. But that number recently jumped to five. Therefore starting tonight at 12am, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus."

"So what's Tartarus?" Junpei wondered. "Sounds like toothpaste."

"You haven't seen it, Junpei?" Yukari asked in response.

"It's no surprise since it only appears during the Dark Hour," Mr. Ikutsuki explained.

"Just like the Shadows," Akihiko added. "Interesting, huh? And it's the perfect place for us to train. You can think of it as a Shadow nest."

"Whoa... Their nest, huh?" Junpei repeated with awe in his voice.

"But, Senpai...what about your injury?" Yukari checked.

"Since Akihiko hasn't fully recovered yet, he'll only come as far as the entrance," Mitsuru explained.

"Yeah, I know..." Akihiko sighed.

"Relax, I've got your backs," Junpei reassured, looking over at Kotone and Yukari.

"I'm not so sure about this..." Yukari nervously admitted.

"What about you, Mr. Chairman?" Mitsuru questioned.

"I'll stay here," Mr. Ikutsuki answered. "As you know, I can't summon a Persona."

* * *

Yet despite being told the team was going to Tartarus, Kotone found herself standing...right outside the school gates. _"Some letdown..."_ she thought to herself. But she wasn't the only one who was disapppointed.

"This is it?" Junpei asked. "This is the place?! Why here?!"

"Just wait a few minutes," Akihiko insisted as he checked his wristwatch. "It's almost midnight."

For a while, nothing much seemed to happen. Yet after a few minutes, when the Dark Hour began, the whole building change. It grew taller and more distorted, with different structures popping out of every floor. While Kotone and Junpei were both surprised, Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Yukari didn't react as much, almost like they saw it happen before. By the time it was done, it no longer resembled Gekkoukan High School. It had become something else entirely.

"This is Tartarus, the labyrinth that reveals itself during the Dark Hour," Mitsuru explained.

"L-Labyrinth...?" Junpei echoed. "What are you talking about?! What happened to our school?!"

"Once the Dark Hour passes, everything returns to normal," Mitsuru continued.

"This is the 'nest' you were talking about?!" Junpei checked. "But...why?! Why'd our school turn into a giant tower?!"

Mitsuru didn't answer. "You don't know, either?" Junpei asked.

"...No," Mitsuru admitted.

"I'm sure it's complicated," Yukari guessed.

"Well, maybe now we'll find out," Akihiko hopefully commented. "Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek. This will be our first time exploring it." He cracked his knuckles as he smirked. "Exciting, isn't it? There has to be some sort of clue in here about the Dark Hour."

"Akihiko, I respect your enthusiasm, but you won't be accompanying us today," Mitsuru reminded the white-haired teen.

Akihiko sighed in response. "I know... You don't have to remind me."

* * *

Inside the entrance, Mitsuru began the debriefing. "This is only the entrance," she said. "The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of the stairs."

"First we'll have you three get a feel for this place," Akihiko continued. "But before you go have a look around, did everyone bring their weapons?"

The weapons in question were the same weapons Mr. Ikutsuki had earlier. At the moment, the three second-year teens were equipped. Yukari held the bow with the quiver full of arrows strapped to her back, Junpei was armed with the sword (which required both hands to hold), and Kotone was left with the naginata. But why did they need weapons when they had their Personas?

"Um... Why do we have these?" Kotone asked. "Can't we just fire our Evokers if we come across Shadows?"

"Those weapons were specially-constructed in a Kirijo laboratory," Mitsuru answered. "Ordinary weapons have no effect, but in the hands of Persona users, these weapons will allow us to inflict physical damage to the Shadows. As for the Personas themselves, I must ask you to use them sparingly. If you use up too much stamina, you won't be able to summon them until you have fully recovered."

"How far do we have to go in?" Yukari checked.

"We're not asking you to go very far," Mitsuru explained. She begin to set up an amplifier. "And I'll be feeding you information from here."

"So you two didn't plan on coming in the first place?" Junpei checked.

"That's right," Akihiko confirmed. "We're also going to appoint a field leader to make any necessary decisions."

Junpei was surprised. "For real?" he asked. "One of us?" He grinned. "Oh! Oh! Me me me! Pick me!"

Akihiko was silent for a few seconds before making his decision. "Kotone, you're in charge."

"What?! Me?!" Kotone asked in alarm. "I'm not exactly the leader type!"

"Yeah!" Junpei agreed. "And she's a girl!"

"Well, Kotone HAS fought them before," Yukari pointed out.

"Seriously?" Junpei asked, surprised.

"That's true, but there's another reason," Akihiko spoke up. "You two... Can you summon your Personas without any difficulties, like Kotone can?"

"Y-Yeah, of course I can!" Junpei stammered. But Yukari remained quiet.

"These are Shadows we're talking about here," Akihiko continued. "Without your Persona, you're screwed."

"I-I'm aware of that," Yukari muttered slightly.

"Alright, let's head inside," Akihiko said. "Are you ready, Kotone?"

Realizing she didn't have much of a choice, Kotone grinned and slowly gave Akihiko a thumbs up. "You betcha..." she nervously replied.

Akihiko chuckled. "That's the spirit," he encouraged.

But just as the three teens set foot inside Tartarus' labyrinth, Kotone lost consciousness...

* * *

...and found herself in the Velvet Room once more, where she was greeted by Igor. "Welcome back, Ms. Shiomi," he greeted. "I've been waiting for you."

"What do you want to tell me?" Kotone wondered.

"The time has come for you to wield your power," Igor explained. "The tower that you are about to venture into... How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist? Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power."

"My...power?" Kotone repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

"Your power is unique," Igor clarified. "It's like the number zero. It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities." He revealed two Tarot cards, one labeled 'Fool' and one labeled 'Lovers'. "You are able to possess multiple Personas and summon them as needed. "And when you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you. There may be times when they are difficult to grasp, but do not fear. Seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly. Be sure to keep that in mind."

"I'll try," Kotone replied.

"Thank you, Ms. Shiomi," Igor said. "My spare time will soon be scarce. But please come again of your own accord. I'll tell you then about my true role, the manner in which I can best assist you. Until then... Farewell."

* * *

"Hey, are you alright?"

Kotone blinked, realizing she was back at Tartarus' entrance. "What are you talking about?" she asked Yukari.

"You looked like a zombie," Junpei explained.

Kotone wasn't amused. "Really?" she asked in a deadpan tone. "A zombie?"

"That's what you pick to dwell on?!" Junpei exclaimed. Then he realized Kotone's slight giggle. "Ohh, I get it." He chuckled. "You're trying to yank my chain here. Don't worry, though! I got you covered whenever you need it!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Yukari sighed. "C'mon, let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From this point forward, all of Kotone’s Personas will be based on the ones I have used in Persona 3 Portable.


	6. Living a Double Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotone quickly gets used to her life as a student and a member of S.E.E.S...despite one major flaw in her combat style.

When the three teens entered the labyrinth, they found themselves in an all-green hallway. "So this is it, huh?" Junpei commented.

"I hope I don't get lost..." Yukari said.

** "Can you all hear me?" **

Kotone flinched, surprised by the sudden voice in her head. But then she quickly calmed down upon realizing who that was. "Kirijo-senpai?" she checked.

**"I'll be providing audio backup from here on out."**

"Wait... Ya mean, you can see inside here?" Junpei wondered.

** "It's my Persona's ability. I'd like to join you, but the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day. That's why outside support is imperative." **

"Well that makes me feel a whole lot better," Yukari sarcastically commented.

** "Now, based on your current location, you can expect to encounter enemies at any minute. They shouldn't be too tough, but proceed with caution. Practice makes perfect." **

"Right!" Junpei cheerfully agreed.

"Got it," Yukari replied.

"Yeah, let's do this," Kotone agreed, still not too thrilled with the plan.

Once Mitsuru was done speaking, Yukari sighed. "Why is she always like that...?" she wondered.

* * *

They only had to explore one floor on the labyrinth and Kotone was already displacing excellent leadership ski-

"ORPHEUS!!!!!!!"

...Or not.

You see, Kotone is NOT the kind of person who stays calm. Whenever she's in a tense scenario, she ends up panicking most of the time. And on her first time in Tartarus, this was no exception. She ended up repeatedly summoning her Persona every single time she heard or saw something move. As a result, the entire floor was repeatedly set on fire, all while Yukari and Junpei had to focus on the mission of finding the floor's access point. Needless to say...it was kind of a big failure.

Eventually Yukari was able to find the access point, allowing them to get back to the entrance. "Welcome back," Mitsuru said. "So, how was it?"

The three teens looked at each other awkwardly. They were all in pretty bad shape. Yukari was out of breath, Junpei's shirt was slightly scorched, and Kotone felt awful for causing this much trouble for her team. Akihiko made her the field leader, but so far she wasn't doing so well living up to the role.

"I don't know about this..." Kotone nervously admitted. "It was too much for me to handle, and I nearly screwed up the mission for everyone else."

"Don't get discouraged," Mitsuru reassured. "You completed your task and that's something to be proud of."

"You serious?" Junpei asked, sounding miffed. "It would've been easier if a certain someone didn't get a little fire-happy in there!"

"I panicked, okay?!" Kotone exclaimed. "It's kind of hard to see who's attacking when the whole area is poorly-lit!"

Yukari wiped her brow. "I'm still trying to catch my breath, actually..." she sighed.

"That's the effect of the Dark Hour," Mitsuru explained. "You'll become fatigued more easily, which is why I suggested to use your Personas sparingly. Don't worry, though. You'll adapt. But I'm surprised... You all did somewhat better than I expected. At this rate, they'll catch up to you in no time, Akihiko."

Akihiko chuckled. "We'll see about that," he replied, tugging on one of his gloves.

Kotone glanced back at the staircase. Despite her panicked moments, she was able to stand against the Shadows by combining her powers with her team's. At that moment, she felt a sudden jolt in her heart. With a flash, she could see a slight outline materializing. A cat/human hybrid, perhaps?

Was this what Igor meant by having access to multiple Personas?

* * *

The next day, Kotone didn't meet up with Yukari on the way to school. Instead, she ran into Akihiko near the main entrance. "Morning," he greeted. "I didn't know that we were on the same train." He breathed out a sigh. "But man... Things have been real crazy these past couple of days."

"No kidding," Kotone agreed, especially given her big screw-up at Tartarus last night.

"Are you alright?" Akihiko checked. "You must be confused since you've just transferred here, too."

"Oh... Right..." Kotone muttered. She smiled in response. "I'm alright about that. I'm so used to transferring to different places that it doesn't really bother me."

"Wow, that's impressive," Akihiko complimented. "You're completely different from Junpei." He stretched his arms. "On the other hand, I'm so bored that I feel like I'm going to die..."

"Hey, don't die on the team now, Sanada-senpai," Kotone teased. "We might need pointers from you for later missions."

Akihiko chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't," he reassured. "So is there any way I can sneak in on the fight? Maybe I could get past Mitsuru if I wear Junpei's hat..."

Kotone gave a quick glance at Akihiko's body. "Sure...if you can convince her that he's suddenly working out," she commented, taking note on how his build was strongly different from Junpei's.

Akihiko knew what Kotone meant. "You're right," he agreed. "The consequences wouldn't be worth it..."

* * *

Before classes could begin for the day, the student body was required to attend a morning meeting. During that meeting it was announced that Mitsuru has been elected as the new Student Council President. While Kotone was happy for her, she noticed Yukari and Junpei weren't all that surprised.

"So she did get elected," Yukari commented. "Well, I guess she IS the most popular girl in school."

"You can say that again!" Junpei agreed. "There's like some kinda aura around her... Besides, this school's owned by the Kirijo Group, right?"

"Yeah, but I try not to think about it," Yukari answered.

Mitsuru walked up to the podium. "As I begin my term as Student Council President, I'd like to share with you my vision for this coming year," she spoke. "It is my firm belief that each of us must accept the responsibility of bettering our school. However, stance cannot occur without sustained effort and an unprecedented level of commitment. That is why we must restructure our daily lives to accommodate this lofty goal. I'd like each of you to dig deeply into your well of motivation, and reevaluate your convictions. To imagine a bold new future without losing sight of the realities around you. That is the key. I am certain that many of you have your own visions of the future. For us to reap the full benefits of our education, your participation, ideas, and enthusiasm are essential." She smiled politely. "Thank you."

A lot of the students applauded, including Kotone. She was amazed with how much of a leader Mitsuru truly is, both in and outside of the Dark Hour. Yet at the same time, she felt a bit insecure about her own leadership skills. How can she show that level of dedication when she's already off to a poor start?

"Dang... That was freakin' amazing!" Junpei complimented. He looked over at Kotone. "Hey, did you understand what she was talking about?"

"Well, what about you?" Kotone asked in response. "Because I had an idea with what she wanted to say."

Junpei's face turned red. "Huh?!" he stammered. "Well... I mean, what do you think?! Unlike her, I'm just your average normal high schooler!" He laughed nervously, a clear indicator he didn't understand Mitsuru's speech at all.

* * *

For a while, nothing much happened. Kotone got to spend the day as an ordinary school student, while also exploring Tartarus with Yukari and Junpei at night. During that time, she developed close bonds with them, especially after Junpei treated the two girls to ramen one night. She also got to invite Yukari to a cafe hangout one time after school.

Then one day, during a typical trip into Tartarus, Kotone realized these bonds with her newfound friends resulted in two new Personas. The Persona from Junpei's bond was a cat-like woman wearing a white fur coat called Nekomata, while the Persona from Yukari's bond was a pointy-haired succubus wearing a black fur bikini called Alp.

So after yet another typical day at school, Kotone was talking with Junpei when he brought up something important. "FYI, Akihiko-san's at the hospital getting a checkup," he revealed. "He called me earlier and asked me to bring him something." He grinned. "Yup, he knows who to count on."

Yukari, who overheard the conversation, approached the two teens. "He only asked you cuz you don't have anything else to do after school," she pointed out.

"H-Hey, I resent that," Junpei stammered.

Yukari giggled. "I'm just kidding," she revealed. "So what'd he want you to bring?"

"The class roster for 2-E," Junpei answered.

"What's he want that for?" Yukari wondered. "...Well, I don't have archery practice today, so I'll go with you." She looked over at Kotone. "You're coming too, right?"

"Definitely!" Kotone exclaimed, surprising her two friends. She nervously cleared her throat. "I-I mean, sure. I haven't really seen him since the school year started."

"Cool," Yukari said.

"W-Wait a minute..." Junpei stammered.

"What? Is there a problem?" Yukari asked.

"Well, it was ME he asked..." Junpei insisted.

* * *

Despite Junpei's protests, Kotone and Yukari ended up coming with him to the hospital. But when they got to Akihiko's room, they were greeted by...someone else entirely. Sitting in one of the chair was a menacingly-looking young man wearing a maroon coat. He wordless stared at the three teens, presenting an aura of intimidation. Kotone was about to ask where Akihiko was, but she felt a shiver go down her spine and she let out a meek gasp, unable to produce any words.

Was she...scared?

Luckily Junpei was brave enough to speak for the group. "Um... Is...Akihiko-senpai...in this room?" he nervously asked. "By any chance?"

As if on cue, Akihiko entered the room. "What are all of you guys doing here?" he wondered.

Kotone took a deep breath before speaking. "We came to see you," she told Akihiko. She took note on how he looked perfectly fine. "So why did you come here? You seem alright."

"I'm just here for a checkup," Akihiko revealed.

The tall young man stood up. "Is that it, Aki?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Yeah, thanks," Akihiko replied.

The young man scoffed. "I don't have time for this shit." He headed for the door, but his gaze was fixated on Kotone. "You..."

"Y-Yes...?" Kotone stammered.

"...Never mind," the young man muttered. He left the room without another word.

"Wh-Who was that?" Junpei nervously asked.

"A friend from school...sort of," Akihiko answered. "You know how the number of Apathy Syndrome cases has been increasing? Well, he knows a few people who are suffering from it, so I was asking him about it. So did you bring what I asked?"

Junpei grinned. "Of course, Senpai," he answered as he took out a few sheets of paper.

"Sorry for the trouble," Akihiko apologized. He took the sheets of paper from Junpei. "Well then, let's get going!"

"Uh... You shouldn't move your arm," Junpei pointed out, noticing that the arm Akihiko used was the same arm that was also injured.

"It's nothing," Akihiko dismissed. "I've wasted enough time already. I need to get back to my training."

"By the way, Senpai, why boxing?" Yukari wondered.

"You mean, why did I choose that sport?" Akihiko asked in response. "Well...it's not the sport itself I like. I just wanted to learn how to fight. I know what it's like to feel powerless and I don't want to feel that way again. Besides, I'm curious to see how strong I can get. It's like a game, only I'm competing against myself."

"That's an interesting way of looking at it," Junpei commented. "Ya know, I'm into games too."

"Yeah, video games," Yukari corrected.

"Oh, but I like fighting games too," Junpei said.

"Whatever..." Yukari sighed with an eye-roll.

* * *

That evening, while Kotone was trying to sleep, she was once again greeted by the mysterious boy during the Dark Hour. "Hi, how've you been?" he asked.

"Alright, I guess," Kotone answered. "So what brings you here?"

"One week from now, there will be a full moon," the boy revealed. "Be careful. A new ordeal awaits you."

"What kind of ordeal?" Kotone wondered.

"You will encounter one of them," the boy continued. "You must prepare for the ordeal, but time is of the essence. I'm sure you're aware of that, of course. I'll come see you again when it's over. Goodbye for now."

The boy disappeared just as quickly as he appeared, leaving Kotone confused. _"One of them?"_ she thought to herself. _"What does he mean by that?"_


	7. Golden Week Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yukari learns how quick and eager Kotone can be when it comes to new friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long delay. This chapter took a while to complete due to writer’s block.

While things had become a predictable routine for Kotone, she had already decide to spend Golden Week hanging out with Yukari. They had their cafe hangout on Shōwa Day, so for Constitution Memorial Day, Kotone decided to let Yukari come up with today's activities.

Wanting to mix up her usual style with some color, Kotone took a while to pick out an outfit. As she was going through her clothes, she heard her cell phone ringing. She answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey Kotone," Yukari said. "Are you up yet?"

"Yeah, I'm just trying to pick out an outfit," Kotone answered. "Did you come up with plans for us today?"

"Sure did," Yukari replied. "Meet me by the mall fountain. I have a surprised for you."

"...What kind of surprise?" Kotone wondered.

"Oh, you'll see," Yukari teased. "Let's just say you're gonna like it."

* * *

A few minutes after the phone call, Kotone was finally able to select an outfit: a red scarf, a light orange sweater, a red plaid skirt, black leggings, and red boots. With her MP3 player strap around her neck, she met up with Yukari at the fountain mall. And speaking of Yukari, she was also wearing a new outfit, which consisted of a long pink off-the-shoulder dress with lace-sewn patterns and fur linings over her skirt alongside a pair of tan knee-high boots with a fur trim.

"So what's the surprise?" Kotone asked.

"I'm treating you to a shopping day," Yukari happily answered.

That only confused Kotone. "But didn't we have that at the strip mall?" she checked.

Yukari sighed. "This one's different," she explained. "That was to help you pick out some new clothes. Today I want to help you out with hair and makeup."

Kotone didn't respond right away. She never really thought it was a big deal to put so much effort into her appearance. She mostly wore what felt comfortable and always tied her hair up in a ponytail for convenience purposes. She also thought makeup was kind of pointless, so she never bothered buying any.

But maybe Yukari can finally change that for her...

"Alright," Kotone said. "What did you have in mind?"

* * *

The shopping day ended up being better than Kotone originally thought. Yukari brought her to cosmetics shop called Beauty 4 Life, where there were various beauty supplies for sale. Sure Kotone was initially confused by what was on sale, but luckily Yukari was able to help her out. She ended up buying a bottle of Lux shampoo, some pale pink lipgloss, dark grey eyeshadow, and a bottle of Bioré facial cleanser.

As the two girls left the store, Kotone had a crazy idea. Since she brought her MP3 player, she decided to share her music with Yukari. Why, you may ask? Well that's because Kotone grew up learning to appreciate the beauty of classical music. She even discovered that sometimes music can be used to express feelings towards other people without needing to use words. All she had to do was find the right song and let other people listen to it.

So without even hesitating, Kotone gave Yukari her one of her headphones. "Here," she said. "Put this on."

Yukari looked at the headphone in confusion. "Um... Okay..." she muttered, slowly slipping the headphone over her ear.

When Kotone put the remaining headphone over hear ear, she pressed the Skip button until she got to a certain song: [Canon in D Major](https://youtu.be/NlprozGcs80). With the song selected, she pressed the Play button, allowing Yukari to listen to the gentle sounds of a violin-

"Pfft..."

That was the sound of Yukari laughing. "What's so funny?" Kotone wondered, hurt by the unexpected laughter.

"S-Sorry," Yukari said as once she stopped laughing. "I'm surprised you listen to this song. Classical music puts me right to sleep."

"I have other songs if you don't want to listen to this one," Kotone suggested.

"No, it's okay," Yukari reassured. "I don't mind listening to it."

Things were quiet for a while. As the two girls walked in comfortable silence, Kotone noticed Yukari was smiling slightly. Kotone ended up smiling as well, figuring Yukari ended up liking the song. And why wouldn't she? Canon in D Major included three violins performing in perfect harmony, creating a calm, soothing atmosphere. Kotone chose that song for Yukari to let her know that she appreciates their newfound friendship.

A few minutes had passed before Yukari spoke up. "Wow..." she commented. "This is a nice song."

"Thanks," Kotone happily replied. "It's from Pachelbel, but it didn't become popular until he died years later."

"So why play this for me?" Yukari wondered.

"Sometimes it's better to express feelings through music," Kotone explained. "Like a silent 'thank you' without having to say the actual phrase."

"You wanted to thank me?" Yukari asked. "For what?"

"For being a true friend," Kotone answered. "Ever since I came to the dorm, you have been helping me out in so many ways. No has ever been this kind to me." She smiled softly. "That's why I value our friendship. Thank you so much."

Yukari was silent for a few seconds, amazed with how kind Kotone is. "...You're welcome," she replied. "I-"

"Shut up! Leave me alone!"

At that moment, Kotone stopped walking and pressed the Pause button on her MP3 player. "What is it?" Yukari asked.

Kotone responded by placing a finger to her lips as she took off the headphone on her ear, prompting Yukari to do the same. The brunette then looked over at two girls, one of which had short teal hair and wore black turtleneck underneath a light green poncho with a yellow flower pattern, a knee-length faded jade-green skirt, black legging, and black slippers. The other girl she was with, who had just spoke, look annoyed for some reason.

"I can't!" the teal-haired girl cried out. "They say there's all sorts of scary people there. I don't want you to go somewhere like that."

"Where I go is none of your business!" the second girl shouted. "Why should you care?!"

"I have to care!" the teal-haired girl insisted.

The second girl sighed in frustration. "God, you're so annoying!" she exclaimed, pushing the teal-haired girl towards the ground. "Don't you get it?! I only hang out with you so I can mess with you!" She turned and walked off. "Seriously, stop acting like we're friends."

Kotone walked over to the teal-haired girl and helped her get back on her feet. "Th-Thank you..." she stammered.

"You're Fuuka Yamagishi, right?" Yukari asked.

The teal-haired girl nodded, but she didn't say anything. She looked both sad and hurt, something Kotone quickly noticed. "Who was that other girl?" she asked.

"A friend..." Fuuka muttered in response. "But it's okay. She's always like that."

"But is she really your friend?" Kotone wondered. "I heard all the awful things she said to you. Friends don't treat each other like that."

"You don't know anything about us, so please don't say that," Fuuka said.

"It's true that we just met, but it didn't look like you were happy," Kotone pointed out.

"But she's my precious friend," Fuuka insisted. "It's my fault she's mad at me. I wasn't really thinking and I said something insensitive. I want to apologize, but the words won't come out. It's probably because I'm afraid she won't forgive me."

"What you said wasn't insensitive at all," Kotone reassured. "It sounded like you were just concerned about her hanging out with the wrong crowd. You care about her and there's nothing wrong about that. A true friend would be grateful for that kind of behavior, so why would you still hang out with her?"

"Because it means I can stay here, in Gekkoukan High," Fuuka admitted. "This is the only place where I belong."

"Then maybe you should make new friends," Kotone suggested.

"...New friends?" Fuuka echoed.

Kotone nodded in response. "They're right in front of you," she continued. "My name's Kotone Shiomi, and this is Yukari Takeba. We'll be your friends."

"You'll...be my friends?" Fuuka asked.

"It doesn't need to be such a big deal," Yukari reassured, slightly surprised by Kotone's forwardness. "But yeah, we'll be your friends."

"I heard there's a Film Festival later today," Kotone said. "We can go there to celebrate our newfound friendship."

"Is it really okay?" Fuuka wondered.

"Absolutely," Kotone replied. "Now come on, let's go get some takoyaki."

And so, Kotone and Yukari ended up spending the rest of Golden Week hanging out with Fuuka. Aside from the Film Festival, they mostly hung around and chat about various things. But for Kotone, as she spent more time with Fuuka, she started to see a slight image of what appeared to be a unicorn, much like when she first saw Nekomata after her first time in Tartarus.

Could this mean a new Persona will soon emerge?


	8. Getting to Know Theodore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon Igor’s request, Kotone starts to show Theodore around Tatsumi Port Island.

With Golden Week over, Kotone was back to her school life. But as soon as class was done, her phone unexpectedly rang. Curious, she answered it. "Hello?" she asked. "Who is this?"

"Hello, Ms. Shiomi," a deep voice responded. "This is Theodore. Can you come to the Velvet Room? There is a matter I wish to discuss with you."

"...Sure," Kotone replied, wondering how Theodore got her phone number.

"Thank you," Theodore said. "I look forward to seeing you."

As Kotone hung up her phone, her thoughts drifted towards the Velvet Room itself. So far she was unexpectedly summoned there through dreams, so how was she going to get there?

* * *

After a bit of wandering around, Kotone eventually found herself in the mall. To her surprise, she could see a blue glow coming from below the karaoke bar. Curious, she approached the area, only to come across a mysterious door. Remembering the golden key Igor gave her, she used it to open the door and walk through.

Sure enough, Kotone found herself back in the Velvet Room. "Welcome back, Ms. Shiomi," Igor said as she took her seat on the usual lyre-shaped chair. "I see you received Theodore's call."

"I did," Kotone confirmed. "What was that for? Did you want to tell me something important."

"Yes and no," Igor replied. "You see, Theodore has taken an interest in the mortal world. Therefore, there are times in which I must ask you to show him around."

"Really?" Kotone asked as she briefly glanced over at Theodore.

"Indeed, I have," Theodore confirmed. "If you escort me around certain areas, I will reward you with special items."

"Um... Okay," Kotone agreed. "So where do you want to go first?"

"First, I would like you to show me around the Paulownia Mall," Theodore answered.

"Sounds easy enough," Kotone replied.

"Thank you very much," Theodore said with a slight bow. "Well then, please lead the way."

* * *

When the two left the Velvet Room, Theodore was amazed. "So this is the Paulownia Mall..." he commented. "Indeed, it's exactly as I imagined."

Yet despite Theodore's calm voice, Kotone could tell his eyes were clearly glimmering with excitement. "Are you excited to be here?" she wondered.

Theodore chuckled. "I'm not that easily amused," he dismissed. Then he noticed the main fountain. "What is that over there?"

"You mean the fountain?" Kotone asked in response, guiding Theodore over to the fountain.

Theodore stared intently at the fountain. "An aqueous duct in a place like this...?" he muttered. "The dwellers of this world must get thirsty easily."

"Uh... I don't think that's it..." Kotone nervously corrected.

"I-I know it’s true purpose, of course," Theodore stammered. "Why...it's meant to wash one's hands!"

Kotone face-palmed as she sighed in frustration. "Geez, that's not it!" she groaned.

Theodore was taken back by the sudden outburst. "...It was only my small joke," he explained. "So... Wh-What is it actually for?"

"Scenic purposes," Kotone answered.

"I see," Theodore commented. He looked distraught for some reason, but his expression quickly changed when he noticed the police station. "And what, pray tell, is this facility here?"

"It's a police station," Kotone answered.

Curious, Theodore walked over to the police station and saw some posters hanging in a window. "These photographs..." he commented. "Most Wanted... Reward...? I see... So the concept of subjugation requests is not unknown here."

"Except we don't actually kill those people," Kotone corrected.

"In that case, you must have to capture them alive," Theodore concluded. "Only a skilled hunter could accomplish it. If there are hunters of such talent in this world as well, I may want to make a few requests of my own..." He was silent for a few seconds. "But on second thought, perhaps not. I already have you, our finest guest, for that."

"Thanks... I guess," Kotone replied. "But I wouldn't call myself a hunter-"

"Hm...? What is that?" Theodore unexpectedly asked.

Kotone followed her gaze over to where Theodore was looking at. "That's a club," she answered.

Theodore fast-walked over to the club with Kotone following him. "This..." he muttered in awe. "Could this be the 'club' of rumor...?"

"What rumor?" Kotone wondered. "Did someone tell you about this place?"

Yes, I heard no end to it," Theodore answered. "Dancers, dictated by the sway of one's inner passions... A subterranean garden of uninhibited spectacle! Though this marks my first time seeing it in person. Well then, let us venture in."

"Hold on!" Kotone blurted out. "It's only open at nighttime!"

Theodore looked offended. "It's closed?!" he exclaimed. "This can't be..." He took a few steps back in shock. "It seems...I have no choice but to turn back..."

Wanting to cheer up Theodore, Kotone decided to show him the arcade. When they got to the entrance, he stared at the crane game. "Bird-controlling game...?" he guessed. "The things inside this case... Those are birds? They look to my eye more like stuffed animals made of cloth."

"Some of them look like birds," Kotone pointed out.

Theodore chuckled in response. "How amusing," he complimented. "So is this, then, a simulator to practice catching real cranes?"

"It's called that because the claw inside looks like a crane's foot," Kotone explained. "You just need to insert a coin and-"

"Ah... Excuse me," Theodore interrupted. "I note another aquatic pool over here."

Sure enough, Theodore headed toward the fountain in the corner of the mall. He stared at this fountain in deep thought, but he looked a bit restless. He was even looking around as well. Then without warning, he abruptly suck his hand into the water.

"I told you, it's not for washing hands!" Kotone exclaimed.

"Of course, I remember," Theodore replied as he lifted his hand back up. "It's eight degrees Celsius."

"You can tell even with your glove on?" Kotone asked.

"Of course I can," Theodore answered proudly. "Now then, shall we be on our way? I'd hate to keep you out for too late." He smiled fondly as he took one last glance at the mall. "This world has its charms. I would relish the chance to visit it again sometime. Thank you very much for today, Ms. Shiomi."

* * *

Back in Velvet Room, Theodore was prepared to give Kotone a reward. "Thank you for showing me around Paulownia Mall," he said. "I wonder if Master could install a fountain into the Velvet Room."

"Perhaps," Igor spoke up, speaking in a somewhat humorous tone. "It depends on whether the next guest's heart can manifest a fountain into the room. But for now, it seems that cannot be accomplished. It would certainly be strange to see a fountain inside an elevator, after all."

Despite looking a bit disappointed, Theodore continued. "Now as for a reward, I've prepared something special." He revealed what appeared to be a long-sleeved white top. "This is a Small Cheongsam. With this, you can fuse Hua Po. She is a charming Persona, combining the looks of a sweet girl with powerful abilities." He gave the clothing to Kotone. "Please take this as your reward."

"Thanks... I guess..." Kotone replied. But she was actually confused. _"Not sure how this will help with fusions, but okay."_


	9. A Priestess in a Train

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another full moon, another powerful Shadow. It also means strengthened bonds between already-close friends.

The next few days were kind of boring. Kotone joined the school's tennis club, spent time with Junpei (who teased about how much of a cliche it would be if she tried to charm Akihiko) and overall did her best in all of her classes. There was also the occasional Tartarus trips, but that was pretty much adapted into her normal routine.

But then, on May 9th, Kotone came across Akihiko in front of the school entrance. "Hey, Kotone," he greeted. "How's it going? Have you been training in Tartarus?"

"Of course!" Kotone answered, feeling the growing strengths of her three Personas. Granted she still panicked in Tartarus, but she was able to get through it thanks to Yukari and Junpei.

"Great, keep it up," Akihiko encouraged. "It never hurts to train while you have the chance. My wounds will heal in no time, and then I'll be able to join you on the front line. But don't just rely on me."

"Of course not," Kotone agreed. "I already have great friends helping me out."

* * *

That night, while Kotone, Yukari, and Junpei were sleeping, Mitsuru was in the control room with her amplifier, keeping a careful eye on rogue Shadows. She sighed in frustration as Akihiko entered.

"You still at it?" Akihiko asked.

"Yeah," Mitsuru answered. "You never know when the enemy might appear."

"But I thought you couldn't scan outside of Tartarus," Akihiko recalled.

"To be honest, I lack the power..." Mitsuru sadly admitted. "Maybe this is the best Penthesilea can do in terms of data gathering. Although, the power of Persona seems to be much broader than I thought. We've even got someone who can switch Personas in the middle of battle. There's something special about Shiomi's ability. It hasn't been that long since her awakening, either."

"I have to admit, I was surprised too," Akihiko agreed. "But in the end, it's up to her whether or not she can reach her full potential."

Suddenly, the amplifier started to beep, alerting Mitsuru. "It's a Shadow!" she reported.

"What?! You actually found one?!" Akihiko exclaimed.

"Wait, something's not right," Mitsuru realized. "The reading is too big. We've never encountered anything like-" Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened in shock.

"You mean, it's one of those?!" Akihiko asked.

"It must be," Mitsuru concluded.

"Well then, this is gonna be fun," Akihiko said with a smirk. "I'll wake up the others."

"Indeed," Mitsuru agreed.

* * *

As an alarm blared throughout the dorm, Yukari and Junpei quickly woke up and got dressed as fast as they could. Kotone, on the other hand, ended up falling off her bed and frantically got dressed. By the time she got to the control room, the others were already there."

"Sorry I'm late," Kotone nervously apologized, having just clipped in her silver hair barrettes. "I'm a bit of a heavy sleeper..."

"So where is this Shadow?!" Junpei anxiously asked. "I'll rip it a new one!"

"We've detected a Shadow outside of Tartarus," Mitsuru reported. "We don't know for sure, but we think it's another big one. We have to defeat any of them we find as quickly as possible. Most people don't know the Dark Hour exists. But if half the city is destroyed, there will be panic. That must be avoided at all costs."

"In other words, we need to kick some ass, right?" Junpei interpreted. "Well count me in!"

"Junpei..." Yukari sighed with her arms crossed.

"Akihiko, you stay here and wait for the Chairman," Mitsuru ordered.

"Wha-?! Are you kidding?!" Akihiko exclaimed. "I'm going!"

"You still need to recover," Mitsuru insisted. "You'll just be a hindrance."

"What?!" Akihiko asked, sounding offended.

"They'll fare better than you in your current state," Mitsuru continued. "Have faith in them, Akihiko. They're ready."

Akihiko groaned, not happy with having to stay behind. "Dammit..." he muttered.

"Relax! I've got it covered!" Junpei reassured.

"I guess I've got no choice..." Akihiko realized. "Kotone, you're in charge."

"Her again...?" Junpei asked.

"We're counting on you," Mitsuru spoke.

Kotone swallowed hard. "I'm still struggling in Tartarus," she pointed out. "I don't think I can fight off something much stronger than those other Shadows..."

"If not you, then who?" Mitsuru asked.

"Maybe Junpei!" Kotone pointed out. "He seems eager to be a field leader!"

"Don't worry," Mitsuru calmly reassured. "You've been doing fine so far."

Junpei, on the other hand, was less than supportive. "Guess it's pretty much decided that you're our leader, huh...?" he asked. "Even when I'm the only guy in the group..."

"Excuse me?!" Kotone asked, deeply offended by Junpei's comment. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Whether one is a man or a woman doesn't factor into it," Mitsuru pointed out. "The responsibility falls to those who have the gift." She then proceeded to angrily glare at the capped teen. "And let me add, if you ever say or do anything to condescend to her because she's a woman..."

"Oh, no, no no no!" Junpei yelped as he took a few steps back, raising his hands in self-defense. "It's not like I look down on her or anything..."

"You three should hurry up and go on ahead," Akihiko spoke up. "Mitsuru, you need to get ready, right?"

"Indeed," Mitsuru agreed. "Let's rendezvous in front of the station."

"Got it," Yukari replied. She looked over at Kotone and Junpei. "Alright, let's go!"

* * *

A while later, Kotone, Yukari, and Junpei arrived at Iwatodai Station. Sure enough, Mitsuru didn't arrive yet, much to Kotone's frustration. "Geez... What's taking her so long?!" she wondered. "I want to get this over with already!"

"She'll be here soon," Junpei answered hopefully.

Yukari looked up at the sky. "There's a full moon tonight," she commented. "But it looks even creepier during the Dark Hour."

"I don't know... I always thought it was kind of a beautiful sight," Kotone chimed in.

But before Yukari could respond, the three heard a motorcycle revving. "...Huh? What the?!" Junpei muttered.

The revving got louder as a motorcycle drove up and parked in front of the group. "Sorry to keep you waiting," Mitsuru said, taking off her helmet and setting foot off the motorcycle.

"A motorcycle...?" Yukari commented, all while Junpei was amazed with it.

"Listen carefully," Mitsuru reported. "Tonight, I'll be providing support from here. Everything else is the same. The Shadow is currently located inside a monorail, not far from the station. To get thee, you'll have to walk on the tracks."

That alarmed Junpei. "Are you serious?!" he asked. "Isn't that dangerous?!"

"Don't worry," Mitsuru reassured. "No electronic equipment is operable during the Dark Hour, including the monorails."

"But your bike..." Junpei pointed out.

"It's specially-made," Mitsuru explained. "Now if circumstances change, I'll notify you immediately. Let's get started."

"Uh... Let's roll out...?" Kotone nervously spoke up.

"Huh?! O-Okay!" Yukari agreed.

"Is this how we're gonna do this?" Junpei wondered.

* * *

After a bit of walking on the tracks, the three teens arrived at a monorail. "This is it...right?" Yukari checked.

**"Can you all hear me?"**

"Yes, I can hear you clearly," Yukari replied. "So can the others. We just got here, but I don't see anything out of the ordinary."

**"The readings are definitely coming from that monorail. Proceed with caution and stay together."**

"Got it," Yukari said.

Junpei chuckled. "My Persona's just beggin' to be used!"

"Save it for the main Shadow," Kotone pointed out. "Remember what Mitsuru said. If we run out of stamina, we won't be able to use our Personas."

"Yeah, I remember..."Junpei muttered.

"Well then, let's head on in!" Yukari encouraged. She jumped on the foothold leading to the train door and began climbing...but not before glaring at Junpei. "Don't look up."

"Yeah, yeah yeah," Junpei sighed. Then he smirked. "But don't blame me if I happen to catch a glimpse."

Yukari was not amused. "Say, Kotone... What do you say we bury Junpei here and leave him behind?"

"As much as I would love to for that comment, we would be short one teammate," Kotone pointed out.

"Okay, I get it!" Junpei shouted. "I won't look up!"

* * *

When the three got in the car, they noticed familiar coffins were sitting around next to the seats. Junpei walked over to one of the coffins. "This poor stiff must be a passenger..." he commented. "He's been transmogged, huh... Creepy."

"You get used to it after several years," Kotone dismissed.

"So...guys like him don't remember a thing, right?" Junpei recalled. "It's probably better that way."

Yukari looked at the doors, having a sudden realization. "Wait a minute," she spoke up. "We're not at a station, but the doors are wide-"

SLAM!

As if on cue, all of the doors shut. Junpei ran over to one of the doors to try and pry it open, but to no avail. "Damn, it won't open!" he complained.

**"What's wrong?! What happened?!"**

"It looks like we're trapped inside," Yukari reported.

**"It must be the Shadow. It knows you're there. Be ready for anything! Proceed with extreme caution! Especially you, Shiomi! This isn't Tartarus, so no crazy fires!"**

"Of course..." Kotone sighed.

For a while, nothing much happened. As the three teens traveled from car to car, they didn't come across any Shadows. Kotone could only take [deep breaths](https://youtu.be/kqcANoctDF4) and they walked on, her anxiety increasing with every step. Honestly, she was surprised Yukari and Junpei were able to stay so calm. Mitsuru said it was stronger than what they faced in Tartarus, and here she was, being one step closer to another freak out.

Then all of a sudden, a Shadow appeared out of nowhere. Yukari gasped while Kotone wildly swung her naginata around. Junpei, on the other hand, was calmer. "There it is!" he exclaimed.

But before the three could attack, the Shadow turned around and ran off. "Hey, get back here!" Junpei shouted.

**"Something's not right... The enemy is acting strangely."**

"But if we don't go after it, we're gonna lose it!" Junpei argued.

**"Shiomi, you're in command there. What do you think?"**

Kotone tightened her grip on her naginata. "I say we chase after it and force it into a corner!" she decided, still panicking.

**"But, why did it retreat after revealing itself? It doesn't make sense. Be careful."**

Junpei, on the other hand, wasn't happy to hear that. "...Fine, I'll go myself," he stubbornly insisted. "You guys just stay back and watch me beat it all by myself!"

"Junpei! Wait!" Yukari called out. But it was too late. He already ran off ahead of the two girls.

**"Watch out! Behind you!"**

While Kotone and Yukari fought off the Shadows with their respected weapons, that didn't change the fact that they had another problem to deal with. With Junpei charging ahead, they were down one person, which only made Kotone worry even more.

"This is just want the enemy wanted..." Yukari sighed.

**"We have no choice. You have to go after him or you'll be picked off one by one."**

"Dammit, Stupei!" Yukari groaned. "What are you thinking?!"

**"From what I can tell, he's only a few cards ahead."**

"Okay," Yukari replied. "We'll catch up to him."

The battles were relatively easy. Since all the Shadows the two girls came across were weak, they just needed to fight them off with their weapons. Plus they didn't come across a lot of Shadows, so they were able to find Junpei in no time. And at the moment, he was fighting off a huge mass of Shadows all at once.

"Junpei!" Yukari called out.

"I've got it under control!" Junpei insisted as he wildly swung his sword around. "Take this, you freak of nature!"

But despite his words, it didn't look like Junpei had it under control at all, so the two girls had to step in and help. Yet despite fighting off all the Shadows, he didn't look relieved at all.

"See? That's what happens when you don't listen!" Yukari pointed out. "So, are you alright?"

"O-Of course I am..." Junpei grumbled under his breath. "I was doin' just fine..."

"Excuse me?!" Yukari exclaimed.

**"Be careful, you three! I don't detect any movement, but stay alert!"**

But then, with perfect timing, the train started moving. "Whoa, what the?!" Junpei panicked. "Why are we moving?!"

**"It seems the monorail is under the enemy's control."**

"Whaddya mean, 'it seems'?!" Yukari nervously repeated.

In response, the train picked up speed. "Uh... This doesn't look good," Junpei commented.

**"If we can't stop that thing, it'll crash into another train!"**

"WHAT?!" Yukari yelped. "Oh god! What are we gonna do?!"

**"Calm down and listen. I sense a strong presence in the front car. That must be the one we're after. You'll have to defeat it to stop the train."**

"What kind of messed-up ride is this?!" Junpei wondered as more Shadows approached the group.

* * *

What happened next was absolute chaos. With only eight minutes left, the three teens ran from car to car all while they confronted Shadows. Yet despite Kotone being the field leader, Yukari and Junpei had to do most of the fighting. As for Kotone herself, all she could think about was the thought of crashing into another train. What would that mean for her and her friends? We’re they going to die? As a result, all she ended up doing was wildly swing her naginata around at any Shadow she could see.

Eventually the group arrived at the final car. As soon as they opened the door, they saw a Shadow that was much larger than the previous Shadows they fought. It was a literal half-black, half-white woman with long hair, a reddish-pink mask, and a pale blue skirt. The car also felt a lot colder than the previous cars.

"What the hell?!" Junpei yelped. "Is this the friggin boss?!"

"We're in the front car!" Yukari pointed out. "It's gotta be!"

And so, a battle commenced. But in all honesty, it didn't start out so well. With Yukari still unsure about summoning her Persona and Kotone being too scared to think properly, Junpei was the only one able to summon his Persona. But not even Hermes' attacks were strong enough to defeat the Shadow, who kept on counterattacking with ice. As for the two girls, Yukari resorted to firing arrows at it while Kotone kept on alternating between her three Personas to no avail. Overall, the three weren't fighting in sync, resulting in the Shadow quickly gaining the upper hand.

**"Stay focused! You only have less than five minutes left until you crash into the other train!"**

"You don't think I know that?!" Kotone cried out. "I don't want to cause a collision!"

**"It's worse than that. The Dark Hour is a time period that shouldn't exist. If something is destroyed during that time, it will create a paradox. If that were to happen..."**

Kotone gasped as her eyes widened in fear, dropping her naginata in shock. "We're going to die..." she muttered. "We're going to die..."

Not wanting that to happen, Junpei angrily charged towards the Shadow. Kotone was too much in a state a shock that she couldn't move. For Yukari, it felt like time had slowed down, her gaze switching between Junpei and Kotone. Realizing she was the only one who could help, she took out her Evoker and pointed it at her forehead. But just like before she started gasping heavily as her hand trembled.

But unlike the previous times, Yukari's mind went back to Kotone. This was a girl who was so different, always expressing kindness and instantly declaring the two of them as friends on the first day of school. Since then, the two have become close, especially during Golden Week. And yet the very same Kotone was standing in front of her, too scared to move. She had to help out somehow, and there was only one way how.

"Help me, Io!"

In a flash of blue light, a blonde girl riding a large cow skull materialized. This girl, who was actually Yukari's Persona, surrounded Kotone and Junpei in green light, restoring their health. Kotone looked at Yukari in surprise while Junpei stopped charging.

"You...summoned your Persona..." Kotone spoke up.

"We won't be able to stop the train if we don't work together!" Yukari pointed out.

That was enough to snap Kotone out of her funk. "You're right..." she agreed, picking up her naginata. "We're stronger together!" But instead of using her naginata, she took out her Evoker and placed it against her head. "Come forth, Nekomata!"

When Nekomata materialized in a blue light, she proceeded to scatter light fireballs in the room. But instead of the usual panicked mess of fire, these light flames countered the ice, warming up the room in the process. Overall, Kotone was thinking more rationally instead of panicking as usual, which surprised both Yukari and Junpei.

"Whoa..." Junpei said in awe. "Nice work, Kotone!"

"I didn't know you had it in you!" Yukari added.

**"Hurry! You're running out of time!"**

Kotone looked over at Junpei. "I think I've been able to weaken it," she said. "Think you can finish it off?"

Junpei smirked. "You bet I can!" he answered, readying his Evoker. "If I don't do this, how can I call myself a hero? Get your ass out here, Hermes!"

Hermes materialized once more and proceeded to slash through the Shadow, causing it to explode into black goo. With the enemy defeated, the three Personas faded back into their respective hosts. Yet while the Shadow was defeated, it didn't stop the train from moving.

"Hey! Why are we still moving?!" Junpei wondered.

"We're going too fast!" Yukari exclaimed. "We have to put on the breaks or else!"

**"What are you waiting for?! There's a train up ahead!"**

The three ran up to the train's control panel. But with neither of them have any knowledge with how trains work, they weren't sure how to stop it.

"Dammit!" Junpei cried out in frustration. "I don't know how to stop this thing!"

Not knowing what to do either, Kotone eyed a certain switched and pushed on it as hard as she could. A few seconds later, the train finally slowed down, confirming that was the right switch for the breaks.

"D-Did we stopped...?" Junpei checked.

"I-I think so..." Yukari replied.

**"Is everybody alright?"**

"Y-Yeah, we're okay," Yukari reported. She laughed nervously. "My knees are shaking..."

"Dude...I'm like drenched in sweat," Junpei breathed heavily. "Hey... Are you okay, Kotone?"

"I was so scared..." Kotone muttered. She could feel tears dripping from her eyes.

"Oh crap!" Junpei said. "Hey, hey, don't cry..." He started checking his pockets. "Where'd I put my handkerchief...?" He pulled out a small white piece of cloth. "Uhh, you don't mind if it's been used, do you...?"

Kotone couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Thanks..." she said as she accepted the handkerchief, using it to wipe her eyes dry.

"Hey, don't laugh!" Junpei shouted.

**"I'm so glad you're safe. I'm sorry I couldn't do more on my end. I don't detect any more Shadows. You guys did a great job, so come on home."**

"But how did you know which one was the brake?" Yukari asked Kotone.

"Woman's intuition," Kotone humorously answered as she returned the handkerchief to Junpei.

"I don't think this is the kinda thing woman's intuition helps with..." Yukari pointed out.

"Ah, whatever," Junpei sighed. "You wanna grab a bite to eat? I'm freakin' hungry!"

"Uhhh, hate to break it to you, Junpei, but girls usually don't get hungry in the middle of the night..." Yukari replied. But then she thought about it for a few seconds. "I wouldn't mind stopping by a corner store, though."

But before the team left the train, Kotone surprised Yukari was a sudden hug. "Kotone...?" Yukari asked.

"I'm so proud of you," Kotone said. "You finally summoned your Persona!"

"Oh yeah..." Junpei realized. "Way to go, Yuka-tan! This totally calls for a celebration!" He pumped up his fist. "To Yuka-tan!"

"To Yukari!" Kotone cheered as she and Yukari separated from the hug.

That was the night Kotone, Yukari, and Junpei's friendship became closer. They had a feeling that no matter what happens next, they were going to face new treats as a true team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **25 Years Later...**
> 
> “Someone so strangely familiar... Junpei?”


	10. Makoto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotone’s school life continues, with some slight changes between her and her friends.

Ever since that full moon battle, Kotone sort of changed. While she was still nervous about training in Tartarus with Yukari and Junpei, she no longer panicked and took her role as a leader seriously. She started to strategize plans for dealing with various Shadows, always giving direct commands to her friends. Mostly she and Junpei did the actual Persona fighting, while Yukari served as a team healer, although she would often bring out Io for combat as well. Overall, the three ended up becoming a solid team.

As for her school life, Kotone was doing well. While she did her best to study for upcoming exams, she ended up joining the school's tennis club to get some muscle for fighting Shadows. Her popularity among the other students was also increasing thanks to her bubbly personality and kindness...which actually bothered Yukari.

No, Yukari wasn't jealous of Kotone's popularity. She was mostly concerned about the brunette girl herself. She already knew she lost her family ten years ago, yet she was always smiling. Why is that? Why is she able to stay so positive after such a traumatic event?

What's the secret behind Kotone Shiomi's optimism?

* * *

A few days after the full moon battle, Junpei surprised Kotone and Yukari by taking them out for ramen. But on the way over to the Hagakure Ramen, the three came across a middle-aged man staggering around. While he did approach them, Junpei wasted no time protecting the two girls, but he was still angry. When they finally got to the ramen place, he was still bothered by the encounter.

"Sorry for getting defensive," Junpei sighed. "I...don't like seeing drunks like that. Especially given..." He glanced at Yukari. "...you know."

While Yukari nodded in understanding, Kotone was confused. "What are you talking about?" she wondered.

"Right..." Junpei muttered. "You don't have any parents, right?" He sighed again. "I know that this'll make me sound like an ass...but I kinda envy you. There have to be some parents that their kids would be better off without."

"What?!" Kotone shouted. "That's not true at all!"

"Oh...sorry," Junpei apologized. "You must've had good parents. Sorry."

"Good parents..." Kotone echoed, looking a bit sad.

"Is something wrong?" Yukari asked.

"I...don't really remember my parents that well," Kotone confessed. "But my brother..."

"You wanna talk about him?" Junpei asked. "You haven't told us about him."

Kotone didn't respond. "You don't have to if it's uncomfortable," Yukari reassured.

"No, it's okay," Kotone replied. "You told me about your family, Yukari. It's only fair if I tell you about mine." She took a deep breath before continuing. "My earliest memories go back to elementary school. Our parents were busy with their jobs, so Makoto insisted on protecting me. We were twins, but he was born first, so he often acted like an older brother. While we grew up together, I noticed there was something special about him."

"What's that?" Yukari asked.

Kotone smiled slightly. "It was his smile," she continued. "Makoto had the brightest smile I ever saw. He was always happy and cheerful, wanting other people to smile too...especially me. Whenever I was upset about something, the first thing he would do is put his hand on my forehead and say a special phrase before hugging me." Even to this day, she could still hear his voice say those same words from so long ago.

_"Pain and grief, go away! Don't bother my sister today!"_

"Sounds like he was a good brother," Yukari commented.

"He was more than that," Kotone said. "He was the best brother I ever had. But ever since that night..." Her fingers twitched slightly. "...it feels like I lost a part of myself. But...I can't let that bother me!" She was still smiling. "I still remember his words. He wouldn't want me to cling to the past, so I should move forward and think about the positive."

"So that's why you're always smiling," Junpei chimed in.

"Yep!" Kotone confirmed. "I want to keep smiling for Makoto." Then she realized they have gone completely off-topic. "So...why did you ask me about my parents?"

"Oh..." Junpei muttered. "Well...you see... I..." He looked uncomfortable.

Yukari took the opportunity to speak up. "His father was an alcoholic," she revealed.

Kotone gasped. "Really?" she sadly asked.

"He was always drinking," Junpei confirmed. "He'd just sit there and drink, all by himself. And every time he did, he'd get violent over the stupidest stuff..." He slightly rubbed his left arm. "It doesn't hurt at all anymore... When I was a kid and acted up, I'd get spanked and it would really hurt. But now...he's lost what strength he had, and I didn't even notice it."

"Oh Junpei..." Kotone muttered, horrified by the reveal. "I had no idea that happened to you..."

"S-Sorry for bringing that up," Junpei apologized. "I didn't mean to bore you." He smiled. "C'mon, let's talk about something fun!"

The three ended up eating ramen in silence. While Kotone was glad she got to share her past with Makoto and that she got to know more about Junpei, she couldn't help but notice it felt like Yukari knew about his dad as well. Kotone remembered Junpei saying he transferred last year, so maybe he told Yukari around that same time. And if that was the case, maybe Yukari told Junpei about her family as well.

_"Sure must be nice having a familiar face by your side..."_ Kotone thought to herself, wondering if she and Makoto could have a close bond like that if he was still alive. What would he even look like if that was the case...?

* * *

The past few days were kind of boring. With the exams going on, Kotone and the others didn't even have time to visit Tartarus. The three second-year students had mixed reactions to the exams. While Kotone was able to answer every question with ease, Yukari looked puzzled by some of the questions while Junpei clearly looked like he had a hard time studying.

Then on the last day of exams, Kotone ran into Akihiko near the front entrance. "Hey, Kotone," he greeted. "Today is the last day of midterms, huh."

"Yep!" Kotone happily replied with a nod. "I think I answered every question correctly."

"Good," Akihiko said. "If the doctor gives me the okay, I'll be able to fight with you guys again...finally."

That surprised Kotone. "Really?" she asked.

"By the way, I have a favor to ask," Akihiko continued. "You've been doing a good job leading the team in Tartarus ever since you fought that full moon Shadow. Would you mind continuing after I come back? That way, I can concentrate on building my strength."

Kotone didn't answer right away. While it did seem easier for her to lead the team lately, she was still unsure about keeping it up. Sure she didn't panic, but she was still afraid of dying if she made one false move. Plus the way the others talked about it, it sounded like Akihiko was a better field leader, probably even better than her...

"Well..." Kotone muttered, not sure how to answer the question.

"You'll be fine," Akihiko reassured. "Just keep doing what you've been doing. I already talked to Mitsuru, and she was fine with it. Good luck."

But as Akihiko approached the school, Kotone couldn't help but feel self-conscious about herself. _"Sanada-senpai has more experience fighting Shadows,"_ she thought to herself. _"How can I let him know I think he's better off as the field leader?"_

* * *

Later that evening, Kotone was greeted by Akihiko when she returned to the dorm. "You're back," he said.

"Senpai, I heard you're fully healed!” Yukari exclaimed.

"Congrats, man!" Junpei cheered.

"I need to catch up on my training," Akihiko said. "I've slacked off for a whole month."

"Shouldn't you take it easy, though?" Yukari wondered. "You don't wanna reinjure your arm."

"I've already wasted precious time," Akihiko insisted. "Besides, I already found another Persona user."

"You did?" Junpei asked. "Sweet! Is it a girl...?"

"Actually, it is," Akihiko confirmed. "She's a junior who goes to our school. Fuuka Yamagishi... Do you guys know her?"

"Yes," Kotone blurted out. "I met her during Golden Week. She's a nice girl, but I haven't seen her at school."

"There's a good reason why," Yukari explained. "She gets sick a lot, from what I heard. I don't see her at school very often."

"She was at the same hospital as me," Akihiko revealed. "That's how I found out about her. But...maybe she's not cut out for battle. I had an Evoker made for her, too."

"What?! We're giving up on her already?!" Junpei panicked. "I was gonna offer her some private lessons!"

"What kind of lessons?" Kotone wondered.

Junpei chuckled in response. "I'll leave that to your imagination!"

Yukari, on the other hand, wordlessly glared at Junpei. "Wh-Why're you lookin' at me like that?!" he stammered. "C'mon! I'm a guy! Whaddya expect?!"


	11. Rumors and Gossip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to take a turn for the worse as new thing start to unfold at school and Tartarus.

It didn't take that long for the test results to be announced. Kotone ended up in the top ten, much to her relief, while a quick look at Junpei's face indicated he didn't do so well. As for Yukari, she passed her exams. She wasn't as high as Kotone's results, but they were somewhat above average.

But then, something strange started going on. As the school days continued like normal, Junpei kept on wanting to hang out with Kotone more often. He kept on taking her out for food or to do some shopping at the mall. Granted Kotone got used to his kind behavior, but every time they hung out, he acted a bit...worried. At times he put his hand on Kotone's waist and glanced around. This was very unlike him...even though Kotone had already known him for a little over a month.

Eventually, during a trip to the strip mall, Kotone decided to ask Junpei about his sudden change in behavior. "Hey, um... Are you worried about me?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah," Junpei bluntly answered. "Does that mean you know about it, too?"

Kotone was surprised by Junpei's choice in words. _"What is he talking about...?"_ she thought to herself. She decided to ask him about it. "Know about what?"

"Uh, well..." Junpei muttered, looking a bit hesitant to speak. "Wait, so you haven't heard? Guess I shouldn't have brought it up..."

"No really, what's going on?" Kotone asked.

Junpei sighed. "...Okay, okay, I'll tell you." He leaned closed to Kotone and started whispering. "Um... Don't get mad at me, okay? Supposedly there are these photos of you going around. They aren't weird pictures or anything. They're of you in your gym clothes. There are other girls in them, too, but you're right up in the center, so I think whoever took the pictures was aiming specifically at you."

That surprised Kotone. "How did you find out about it?" she wondered.

"Shush! Not so loud!" Junpei whispered, frantically covering Kotone's mouth. "One of the guys in a different class found out. He came over to me and was like, 'isn't this the girl in your dorm'. I took that copy of it away from him, but the original's still out there." He looked troubled.

Kotone slowly pulled Junpei's hand away from her mouth. "We have to do something about it," she whispered.

"Heh, don't worry about it," Junpei reassured. "I'll find who took your photo and kick his ass. But you..." He placed a reassuring hand on Kotone's shoulder. "Be careful, alright?"

"Okay," Kotone replied. She was touched with how concerned Junpei was getting over this whole photo issue. Hopefully he can figure out the culprit before things get too out of hand.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the school, Yukari was just finishing up archery practice. She had already changed out of her gi and just left the club room, looking frustrated. "What a workout..." she muttered with a sigh. "I've gotta teach those freshmen how to clean up properly."

But just as Yukari was about to leave the corridor, she overheard a couple of girls laughing. The ones laughing were a brunette girl (the very same girl who was bullying Fuuka) and a girl with pigtails. Yukari stopped to listen in on the conversation, wondering if their laughter had something to do with what she and Kotone saw during Golden Week.

"So I pretended to take a picture with my cell phone," the brunette girl said. "She freaked out and started crying, like it was the end of the world. You should've seen the look on her face. It was priceless!"

"Oh my god!" the pigtail girl laughed.

"I've never laughed so hard in all my life!" the brunette girl continued.

As the two girls laughed, Yukari frowned, knowing who they were talking about. "Poor Fuuka..." she sighed. "Don't those so-called 'friends' have anything better to do?"

Suddenly, the pigtail girl froze up and looked around. "Huh...?" she muttered. "Where's that voice coming from...?"

"What voice?" the brunette girl asked in response. "I don't hear anything."

The pigtail girl didn't respond. "What's wrong, Maki?" the brunette girl asked. "Maki!"

The pigtail girl, Maki, gasped a bit before looking back at her friend. "...Huh?" she muttered.

"Are you okay?!" the brunette girl asked.

"Sorry..." Maki apologized. "What were we talking about?"

The two girls left the corridor, leaving Yukari both annoyed and confused. Annoyed that they were obviously talking about Fuuka, yet confused with Maki's sudden silence. What voice did she hear?

* * *

A few days later, when Kotone got to school, she noticed a lot of other students were talking about an 11-grader student. From what she could hear, this student was found lying on the ground in front of the school. She also heard about the possibility of the incident attracting the attention of news reporters. As she walked to class, she kept on hearing more and more people talking about it.

"Did you hear? About that girl in 2-E...?"

"Yeah,they haven't got a clue. Isn't that bizarre?"

When Kotone got to her classroom, she was greeted by Junpei, who also heard about the rumors. "Man, can you believe these people?" he asked. "So, did you hear the details?"

"About the girl who was found unconscious in front of the school.?" Kotone asked in response. "Just barely."

"There's more to that," Junpei explained. "A girl from 2-E went missing last night. This morning, they found her lying on the ground in front of the school gate! Nobody know what happened, and supposedly, she's still unconscious."

At that moment, Yukari entered the classroom. "Morning," she greeted, walking over to Kotone and Junpei.

"Yo, Yuka-tan," Junpei replied. "This is a tough case, even for Junpei Iori, Ace Detective."

"Ace Detective?" Yukari repeated. "Are you stupid or something?" An idea popped into her head. "More like Stupei, Ace Defective."

"Hey!" Junpei shouted, clearly not amused. "I resent that! Anyway, where've you been?"

"I was talking to the teacher," Yukari answered. "That girl they found... I saw her two days ago, on my way back from practice. She seemed okay then..."

"Whoa..." Junpei commented. "Now that's really strange."

* * *

Kotone's school life wasn't the only thing that changed. With Akihiko back on the team, the nightly trips to Tartarus changed as well...but not for the better. After the full moon battle, the team was able to clear the Thebel Block and enter the Arqa Block. But upon arriving there, they noticed the Shadows in the area were much stronger than the previous Shadows they faced. And with Akihiko's Persona, Polydeuces, having electrical powers, it was easier taking out these stronger Shadows.

But as for Kotone, she changed once Akihiko rejoined the team. Her confidence as field leader started to waver. With Akihiko being much stronger than Yukari, Junpei, and herself, she became more and more unsure about her own strength. It didn't help that his Persona was much stronger than all three of hers. There were even times when issued better commands than her. Sure enough, her fears were starting to come true. Akihiko Sanada was proving to be a better field leader than her.

Of course, things got worse when the group came across the first guardians on of Arqa Block, which were three Crying Tables. After a quick analysis from Mitsuru, they learned they were immune to strike attacks, which was a problem for Akihiko considering his main weapon was a pair of brass knuckles. Luckily Kotone was able to utilize the best strategy for taking out the three Shadows.

"Junpei, you're on offense with me," Kotone ordered. "Yukari, stay back and heal us. Sanada-senpai, switch between electrical attacks and healing."

There was just one downside to the strategy. Mitsuru's reading also showed the three Shadows were weak against ice, something all four Personas didn't have access to. So as a result, there was a teensy bit of a struggle during the battle. Kotone and Junpei swung their respective weapons at the Shadows while Akihiko kept on using Polydeuces' electrical powers. Unfortunately, these particular Shadows were MUCH stronger than the previous Shadows they faced, constantly bombarding the team with intense fire, so Yukari had to repeatedly use Io's healing powers. It got worse when Junpei was poisoned, but they were able to endure the setback.

After what felt like three hours, the guardian Shadows were defeated, leaving all four Persona users exhausted. "Geez, that was a lot harder than I thought," Kotone complained. "I thought our usual strategy would work!"

"No kidding," Junpei agreed. "I'm so hungry! Tartarus... Tartarus... Tartar sauce..." His eyes widened in surprise. "Oh crap... I want some deep-fried shrimp to much on now..."

"I didn't realizing how tiring it is being in Tartarus," Yukari chimed in. "I hope I'm getting a good workout doing this."

Akihiko, on the other hand, was handling things much better. "This is why you have to fight Shadows efficiently," he advised. "Striking the enemy's weaknesses is important, but getting the first attack in is also a big step."

But for Kotone, she didn't look too happy after hearing Akihiko's advice. "Right..." She half-hearteningly muttered. "I'll keep that in mind..."

As the team headed over to the floor's teleporter, both Kotone and Akihiko had a hard time looking at one another. Both Yukari and Junpei knew that if the riff continued, the team might start to fall apart. How were they going to fix this?


	12. Starcat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meow!

The next day, Kotone, Yukari, and Junpei were all exhausted, a result of their latest Shadow encounter. Turns out that using up your stamina not only prevented Persona usage, but also made people tired the next day. So as a result, all four Persona users had to drag out of bed for school. Kotone nearly forgot to start wearing her summer uniform. It was a good thing Akihiko was able to remind her before she left the dorm.

When Kotone arrived at the school entrance, she was greeted by Mitsuru. "Good morning," she greeted.

Kotone yawned in response. "Hey, Mitsuru..." she muttered.

"There seems to be a sense of restlessness in the air," Mitsuru commented.

"...Really?" Kotone asked, her sleepiness clouding her judgement. "I didn't notice."

"You don't feel it...?" Mitsuru asked. "Well, I just hope it doesn't have anything to do with Shadows. Akihiko said we may be receiving a new member, but we don't know when we'll get attacked. So remain alert at all times."

* * *

School was as typical as ever...even though those rumors about the unconscious student continued to spread. Despite her exhaustion, Kotone fought to stay awake, not wanting to miss a single lesson. But as hard as she tried to focus, she could barely pay attention to any of her classes.

But then, something new happened after class. When Kotone was heading back to the dorm, she crossed paths with Akihiko. "Oh, it's you, Kotone," he said. "Are you going home?"

"Mmm hmm..." Kotone muttered, unable to speak properly.

"Then do you mind if we stop somewhere on the way?" Akihiko suggested. "There's something I've been in the mood for..."

As Akihiko spoke, Kotone couldn't help but feel the flares of all the girls walking by, most of which were probably Akihiko fans. But due to her exhaustion, she wasn't bothered by those glares, so she and Akihiko were able to leave the school without causing a scene.

* * *

The stop Akihiko had in mind was Hagakure Ramen, much to Kotone's confusion. "Why here?" she wondered.

But instead of answering Kotone's question, Akihiko sat by the bar, guiding her to do the same thing. "One extra-large special, please," he told the chef.

That surprised Kotone. "Extra large?!" she repeated.

"I usually have that much ramen," Akihiko explained. He was acting like it's normal for someone to eat that much. "Physical strength is everything."

A little while later, the extra-large order of ramen came out. Kotone ended up watching Akihiko eat the large bowlful, not sure why he invited her out. And with her already-budding confidence issues, the whole scenario felt awkward.

"Your skills are truly remarkable," Akihiko suddenly blurted out. "But they won't be of any use if you get exhausted easily."

Kotone remained silent. _"That's not very encouraging,"_ she thought to herself, wondering if this was somehow his way of worrying about her.

"You don't have to worry right now," Akihiko continued. "You can rest here."

That took Kotone by surprise. "...Really?" she asked.

Akihiko nodded in response. "I'll let Mitsuru know you can skip tonight's Tartarus exploration," he added. "As the field leader, you need to be in the best shape possible."

"Field leader..." Kotone muttered. "Why me?"

"Mitsuru was the one who recommended you to be our leader, but I thought you'd be best in that position, too," Akihiko revealed. "So do your best and do a good job, okay? Our lives are on the line too, after all. And of course, we'll do our best to back you up, as well. You're not the only one who's going to be trying hard out there." He gently patted her back. "Now go get some rest. You need it."

Unable to keep her eyes open for much longer, Kotone finally gave in and rested her head and arms on the bar counter as she closed her eyes. As she let herself drift off to sleep, she could hear a soft meow while a black cat in samurai armor started to take shape.

* * *

That evening, S.E.E.S. met up at the dormitory lounge for a team meeting. By then Kotone felt much better thanks to Akihiko helping her get extra sleep. But given what ended up happening at the meeting, she wasn't sure she could sleep well that night...

"Hey Yuka-tan, have you seen the posts on the student message board?" Junpei asked. "You know how last week, that girl was found by the front gate? Well there's this rumor that it was an angry spirit from this one ghost story."

"H-Hey! C'mon..." Yukari stammered. "Nobody believes that stuff! ...R-Right?"

"So, what is this ghost story about?" Mitsuru questioned.

That only make Yukari feel worse. "Wha-?!" she yelped. "It-It's probably made-up...so why bother?!"

"I'm interested," Akihiko chimed in. "Go ahead and tell us."

Junpei leaned in and started speaking in a mysterious voice. Kotone wasn't sure where he got it from, but he took out a flashlight and used it on his own face. "Good evening," he began. "Welcome to Junpei's Believe It or Don't. There are many strange things in this world...

"According to one story, if you get caught at school late at night, you'll be devoured by a maniacal ghost that roams the halls! The other day, this friend of mine, let's call him Shu... He said to me, 'Junpei, I saw something strange.'. He sounded serious, so I asked him what he'd seen. He said it was about the girl in 2-E... He claims he saw her go into the school on the night of the incident. I couldn't believe it. She's not the kind of girl to be out at night. But Shu was as white as a sheet. He insisted it was true. Then, it hit me... That ghost must've tried to make her its dinner! And that's why they found her lying on the ground by the gate! I felt a chill run down my spine, and I broke into a cold sweat! Yes, there are strange things in this world... Believe it...or don't."

With the story concluded, Junpei turned off the flashlight. While Yukari was even more nervous than before, Kotone was in awe, intrigued by the ghost story. But as for the two seniors...

"What do you think, Akihiko?" Mitsuru asked.

Junpei's jaw dropped in shock. "Not one word about my frankly amazing performance just now?!" he complained.

"I think it's worth investigating," Akihiko told Mitsuru.

Junpei noticed Yukari's panicked expression. "Wow... I didn't know you were afraid of ghosts, Yuka-tan," he said with a chuckle. "That's kinda funny."

"Hey, watch it!" Yukari exclaimed as she punched Junpei in the arm.

"Yeah, that's not funny," Kotone agreed. "But Kirijo-senpai and Sanada-senpai might be right."

"...F-Fine," Yukari stammered. "Then let's investigate. We'll each ask around for the rest of the week. I'll prove to you that this ghost story is just an urban legend!"

"I appreciate that," Mitsuru encouraged. "The story is a bit unnerving."

"Huh...?" Yukari muttered.

"Then I'll let you guys handle it," Akihiko said. "Just make sure you sleep with one eye open."

"Whaaat...?" Yukari muttered, not amused by Akihiko's tease.

* * *

Later that evening, as Kotone tried to sleep, she was greeted by a familiar prison room boy. "Good evening," he said. "I came to see you again, as I promised. How are you?"

"Pretty good, I guess," Kotone muttered.

"I'm glad you remembered me," the boy said with a kind smile. "Now, in another week, the moon will be full again. And the next ordeal will be upon you, so be careful. I'll come again."

Just like before, the boy vanished just as quickly as he appeared. Could this next ordeal result in facing off against another strong Shadow?


	13. Peeping Tom Photo Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotone and Junpei investigate the mystery behind her photo being passed around.

The next few days were pretty much the same thing. While everyone looked into the rumored ghost story, Mitsuru issued a 'no going into Tartarus' rule for now. Of course, the one doing most of the investigating was Yukari, who was getting more and more anxious with each passing day. It got so bad that Kotone had to tell her she shouldn't push herself so much. But given her response, it didn't look like she was going to slow down.

Then one day, Junpei offered to walk back to the dorm with Kotone. Naturally she accepted the offer, especially with that supposed photo going around. So once classes were done, the two headed outside.

"I keep getting this feeling that everything's so peaceful at school," Junpei commented. "Everyone seems to be having fun, but they don't know what's going on..."

"Maybe it's for the best," Kotone pointed out. "Imagine what might happen if everyone knew about the Dark Hour and Tartarus."

"Yeah..." Junpei agreed. "And it doesn't make a different or anything but..." He nervously scratched the back of his neck. "It's like...I feel this wall between us and them... But that's okay, because I don't really talk about serious stuff with them." He smiled. "Hey, wanna go eat somewhere?"

Suddenly, a male student walked over to the two. "Hey, it's Junpei," he said. "You going home?"

Kotone recognized this particular student as Kenji Tomochika, a boy in her class. She never really got to know him, but from what she heard, he was just as much of a flirt as Junpei, but he only expresses an interest in older women. Of course, that was partially why the two barely know each other. Sure enough, he didn't even notice her at first.

"Oh, sorry," Kenji apologized. "I didn't notice you, Kotone-san." Then he finally realized she and Junpei were leaving school together. "Ohhhh! If that's how it is, you should've told me."

"It's nothing like that," Junpei clarified. "We live in the same dorm, so we-" He noticed Kenji was taking out his cell phone. "Hey, why are you getting your phone?"

Kenji's gaze shifted to Kotone. "Kotone-san, mind if we take a picture together?"

"Uh... Why?" Kotone asked in response. She wasn't sure why, but she felt a wave of unease.

"My sister keeps bugging me for pictures from school, but all I have are guys," Kenji answered. "What'll she say if I don't show her at least one picture of me with a girl?"

"But still..." Junpei started to say, then he realized what Kenji said. "...A picture? Wait... Could it be you?" His whole demeanor changed as he angrily grabbed Kenji's wrist. "Is it you?!"

"Whoa, calm down!" Kenji shouted.

But Junpei didn't calm down. "I'm gonna tell you this as a friend, got it?" he said, speaking in a low, stern voice. "Peeping on girls is a crime!"

"W-Who's peeping?!" Kenji panicked. "I just asked Kotone-san if it was okay!"

"Not just now!" Junpei shouted, his grip tightening as he spoke. "PE! Pictures! The ones going around!"

"Huh? What're you talking about?" Kenji asked. "I don't know anything!"

Realization dawned on Junpei as he released his grip on Kenji. "Oh, right," he said. "You're only into older women."

"That's right," Kenji confirmed. "At least I'm proud of who I am. So what's this about? Are there pictures of Kotone-san going around?"

"From what Junpei told me, there are," Kotone answered.

"Wouldn't the photography club be your first bunch of suspects?" Kenji suggested.

"The photography club!" Junpei exclaimed. "I totally forgot about them! Alright, we'll go check it out. Thanks, Kenji."

* * *

And so, Kotone and Junpei headed over to the photography club to find the source. When they entered the dark, red-tinted room, Kotone quickly detected the distinctly sour smell of the darkroom wafts. As for Junpei, as soon as he found the club president, he immediately started questioning him about the photo.

"There's a photo going around?" the club president asked. "What photo is it?"

"It's a picture of me in my PE outfit," Kotone clarified.

"Huh? I don't know anything about it..." the club president responded. "I know all the film used by the club members gets developed here. But I don't remember seeing anything like that. Unless... You mean someone was being a Peeping Tom? So that's why you're here. You sure you don't want to join the club?"

"No, I'm already on the school's tennis team," Kotone answered.

"Oh, well, it's not me," the club president said. "Also, none of our club members would do such a thing."

"Huh, but that's..." Junpei muttered.

"I know!" the club president exclaimed. "People who love the art of photography would never stoop so low. I can tell you none of my people would have done it."

Junpei, on the other hand, wasn't convinced. "What do you think, Kotone?" he quietly asked. "Can you trust him?"

"Maybe..." Kotone replied, still feeling a bit unsure.

"Wow, thanks," the club president spoke up. "I'll ask all the club members, too. Just in case. I'll get everyone with a digital camera to show me their data, too. Sorry, but that's pretty much all I can do to help. I know it must be rough."

* * *

With nothing else left to do, Kotone and Junpei headed back outside. "You know, we haven't made any progress at all!" Junpei complained. "I guess we'll just have to go about this in a more direct way. I'll try asking my guy friends again, too."

"Thanks," Kotone replied. "I'm counting on you to help."

"No prob, leave it to me!" Junpei cheered. "It'd suck if your social life got ruined by something like this. And don't worry, I'm out gonna spread the rumor around even more."

* * *

The next day, Kotone met up with Yukari and Junpei after class, wanting to talk to her about the ghost stories. "Did you two asked around, like we said?" Yukari asked.

"Huh?" Junpei muttered. "I was busy with...something else..."

Yukari wasn't happy with the response. "Junpei, I TOLD you-"

"C-Calm down!" Junpei exclaimed. "I did ask!"

"Then we'll meet in the lounge after school," Yukari insisted. "Don't forget!"

"Yes, ma'am..." Junpei sighed.


	14. The Brooding Loner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Yukari’s insistence, she, Kotone, and Junpei end up in a rather shady part of town.

After Kotone spent some time training with Akihiko at the shrine (per his suggestion), she met up with Yukari and Junpei at the dorm lounge that evening. "Okay, as we agreed on Monday, we'll now hold a meeting to discuss what we learned," Yukari began.

"Wow, you're really into this," Junpei complimented.

"Of course," Yukari agreed. "I got lots of good info. It turns out no angry ghost was involved."

"Oh... So that's what's important, huh?" Junpei asked.

"First off, let's talk about how this rumor got started," Yukari continued. "Since the girl was found on school grounds, there's at least one similarity to the ghost story. But why did the rumor spread so fast, if this was the first time anything happened?"

"It wasn't the first time a girl was found unconscious at school," Kotone answered.

"Correct!" Yukari confirmed. "But yeah, I was surprised when I found out the reason. Over the next few days, there were two more similar incidents. All three victims had to be hospitalized. No wonder people were talking. Next, the victims are in different classes, and they don't seem to be connected. However, they did have one thing in common. What was it?"

"What is this, a quiz show?" Junpei wondered. He looked over at Kotone. "Do you know?"

"They hung out together," Kotone answered.

"Yep, that's right!" Yukari confirmed. "Not just once or twice, either. They got in with a bad crowd and were always out late. It can't be just a coincidence. So to find out what happened, we're gonna do some field research."

"Field research?" Junpei repeated. "Are you kidding?"

"Yeah," Yukari replied. "There's this one place where the three victims were regulars."

Junpei's eyes widened in fear. "Wait... You're not talkin' about that place behind Port Island Station, are you...?"

"Oh, you're familiar with it?" Yukari asked in response.

"You can't go there!" Junpei cried out. "I've heard some nasty rumors about that place!"

"Is that so?" Yukari wondered. "Well then, we should all go together." She looked over at Kotone. "You'll come, right?"

"Of course!" Kotone enthusiastically agreed. "It's just like what you said at the hospital." She raised up a fist. "We gotta stick together."

"Thanks!" Yukari replied as she and Kotone bumped fists.

"Forget it!" Junpei insisted. "That place is bad news! I mean, don't you think we're getting in over our heads?"

"Up until now, all we've done is take orders," Yukari pointed out. "Does that feel right to you?"

"Sort of," Kotone answered, not wanting to bring up her issue as field leader.

"I know what you mean, but..." Junpei chimed in. "Man, did you have to say it like that?" He sighed in defeat. "Guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Okay, we'll go tomorrow night, then," Yukari decided.

* * *

The next evening, the second-year trio met up in the dorm lobby. "Alright, let's get going," Yukari said.

"What's your hurry?" Junpei asked. "I still think this is a bad idea. I mean, bringing two girls there is like wandering into a lion's den with steaks strapped to my face! How could you be afraid of ghosts, but not be scared of this?"

"It's easy to get freaked out by something you can't see, don'tcha think?" Yukari replied.

"Actually, I'm more worried about things I CAN see!" Junpei shouted. "Like bats and knives!"

"Big deal," Yukari sighed. "So it's a little 'dangerous'..." She grabbed Junpei by the wrist and dragged him towards the door. "Come on, it'll be an adventure!"

"More like a suicide mission!" Junpei protested.

"Then you'll protect us, right?" Kotone asked. With her hands behind her back as she nervously dragged her foot on the ground, she looked at Junpei with a puppy-dog-eyes expression. "You did say bringing us poor, defenseless girls is like bringing in steaks. We could use a big, strong guy like you to help. Please...?"

That convinced Junpei. "H-Huh?" he stammered with a blush. "Hey, you know it! Leave it to me!" He pulled away from Yukari's grasp and rushed towards the door. "C'mon, let's go!"

As Junpei quickly left the dorm, Yukari looked over at Kotone. "You just said that to convince him to go," she realized.

"You know it," Kotone replied with a wink.

* * *

And so, the three ventured over to the back alley of Tatsumi Port Island. Several boys and girls were hanging out, but they looked a bit shady. Certainly not the pleasant type like at school. Speaking of school the fact that they still wore their uniforms ended up attracting the wrong kind of attention. As they walked, Kotone could hear the supposed locals talking about them.

"...The hell?"

"Check out those rags... They're from Gekkou High."

Junpei instinctively got in front of Kotone and Yukari, trying to shield them. "Oh man, this is worse than I thought..." he muttered.

Two thug boys ended up approaching the group. "Hey you," one of the boys said. "I think you're in the wrong place."

"Uh... Well, I..." Junpei stammered.

"You don't belong here," the thug threatened. "Get it? Beat it, goatee."

"Uh... Goatee?" Junpei repeated. "Oh, y-you mean me..."

Yukari stepped forward. "We don't need your permission to be here," she spoke up.

"H-Hey! Are you nuts?!" Junpei panicked. "Take a look around you!"

"I'm not blind, ya know," Yukari pointed out. "Come on, don't be intimidated by these scum!"

"What was that?!" the thug asked.

"She just called us 'scum'!" a girl dressed in red said. She laughed. "We'll post some pictures that will make her daddy cry! She'll wish she was never born!"

Another girl laughed as well. "Oh, that's so clever!"

"These guys are the worst," Yukari scoffed.

"You oughta learn to shut that trap of yours!" the thug threatened. "Man, I feel sorry for you, goatee. This bitch is a pain in the ass!"

POW!

Junpei groaned as fell over from the sharp punch to his stomach. "Junpei!" Yukari cried out.

The thug glared at Kotone. "Hey, girlie," he said. "I don't like your face, either! Got anything to say before I beat it to a bloody pulp?!"

Kotone couldn't speak. She was so terrified that words couldn't leave her lips. She couldn't move, either, almost like she was paralyzed with fear. How were she, Yukari, and Junpei going to survived this encou-

"That's enough."

Everyone was silent as a boy approached the group. Kotone recognized his voice and appearance. It was the same tall boy from the hospital, the one who was talking with Akihiko. What was he doing here?"

"They didn't know what they were getting into," the tall boy said. "I'll make sure they leave. Alright?"

The thug approached the tall boy. "Who do you think you are, dumbass?!" he threatened. "You want some too?!"

The thug swung his fist at the tall boy, but he caught it with ease. "Let me make this clear," the tall boy said. "Guys who lay a hand on girls are the worst. So just to make sure that doesn't happen..."

CRACK!

The thug yelped in pain as he withdrew his now-broken hand. "Shit..." he muttered. "You just crossed the line! You think you're going home alive?!"

"Want me to break your other hand?" the tall boy challenged.

The thug stammered in response. "S-Screw this..."

The girl in red laughed. "What a loser!"

"Damn you, Shinjiro Aragaki!" a boy wearing orange shouted. "That's right... You're from Gekkou High too, aren't ya?!"

"You better grow eyes in the back of your head!" the thug shouted.

The entire group of locals left, with the guys running off as the girls walked away laughing. It seemed the situation was diffused for now.

"Oh man, Senpai, that was awesome!" Junpei exclaimed, sounding relieved.

The tall boy, apparently named Shinjiro, looked over at the three. "Hey, I remember you..." he said. "You clowns were in Aki's room at the hospital. Get outta here. This place isn't for you."

Yukari stepped forward. "We came here for a reason," she spoke up.

"Did Aki tell you to come here?" Shinjiro asked.

"No, he doesn't know about this," Kotone answered honestly. "We came here on our own."

"So what do you wanna know?" Shinjiro asked. "About that ghost story?"

"Um, yeah..." Yukari confirmed. "How'd you know?"

"It's pretty obvious from your school uniforms," Shinjiro answered. "Those girls who wound up in the hospital were here talkin' shit every night about all the things they'd done to some girl named Fuuka Yamagishi."

"You mean that same girl from 2-E?" Junpei checked. "They were picking on her?"

Kotone looked worried, remembering what happened during Golden Week. "Yukari and I befriended Fuuka," she recalled. "That so-called friend of hers responded coldly when she warned her about hanging out with the wrong crowd. She must have been talking about the people here."

Shinjiro was impressed with that information. "Yeah, that's pretty much it," he confirmed. "It's why people are saying Fuuka's spirit did it."

"Fuuka's spirit...?" Yukari echoed. "Wait, what do you mean by that?!"

"You guys don't know?" Shinjiro asked in response. "This Fuuka girl might be dead. She hasn't been home in over a week."

"That's not true!" Kotone blurted out, horrified at the thought of someone being dead. "The school said she was out sick!"

"Whoa, calm down," Junpei told Kotone. "She's probably just missing."

"So much for the ghost story," Yukari said, sounding relieved. "Mr. Ekoda is the homeroom teacher for 2-E, right? Does he know about this?"

"I get it, Aki..." Shinjiro muttered. "Still trying to make up for the past. It's you who can't let go..."

"Huh?" Yukari asked.

"Nothing..." Shinjiro dismissed. "That's all I know. Satisfied?"

"Thanks for saving us," Kotone replied.

"Don't come around here again," Shinjiro warned.

"Um, thank you very much," Yukari spoke up. "You even gave us a hint. You're very kind."

"Huh?" Shinjiro muttered, surprised by the compliment.

"I, um... Never mind," Yukari stammered.

Shinjiro scoffed in response. "Don't come here again."

With nothing else left to do, Kotone, Yukari, and Junpei proceeded to head back to the dorm. Yet as they walked, Kotone couldn't stop thinking about Shinjiro. While she was initially intimidated by him at first, her whole perspective on him changed. He was more than kind. The way he threatened that thug sounded like he shows high respect towards girls.

_"I wonder if we'll ever see him again..."_ Kotone wondered.


	15. A Change in Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group prepares to rescue Fuuka, but an unexpected revelation changes tonight’s mission...

A few days later, Kotone and the others decided to speak to Mr. Ekoda about Fuuka's sudden disappearance. But when they got to the faculty office, he was already there with the same brunette girl from Golden Week. Recognizing this girl as the same one who shoved Fuuka, Kotone's fists clenched, but Yukari quickly placed her hand on her shoulder, not wanting her to start a fight. Luckily Mitsuru was also present, so she could easily diffuse conflict.

"Oh, Mitsuru-senpai," Yukari said. "Why are you here?"

"Same reason as you," Mitsuru answered. She looked back at the teacher. "Mr. Ekoda, I'm here to ask you about a student named Fuuka Yamagishi."

"No!!" the brunette girl cried out. "I-I never thought it'd turn out like this!" She frowned. "Fuuka..."

"What did you do to Yamagishi?" Mitsuru demanded.

"Hold on, Mitsuru," Mr. Ekoda interrupted. "This isn't an interrogation." He looked back at the brunette girl. "Natsuki, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to. You wouldn't want to give her the wrong idea.

But the brunette girl, Natsuki, spoke anyway. "We were just messin' with her that day," she revealed. "May 29th... We took Fuuka to the gym...and locked the door from the outside."

"What?!" Junpei yelped. "You locked her in?!"

"That night, Maki returned to school alone," Natsuki continued. "She was afraid we'd get in trouble if Fuuka committed suicide. But...she never came back. And the next morning..."

"She was found lying on the ground by the gate," Yukari interrupted.

Natsuki nodded in response. "I went to the gym to let Fuuka out, but the door was still locked," she continued. "So I opened it and went inside, but she wasn't there. We all freaked out. Starting that night, we went out looking for her. But every night, another one of us went missing...and they each ended up like Maki."

"I see..." Mitsuru commented. "By the way, Mr. Ekoda... All this time, you've attributed Yamagishi's absences to 'illness'. But in reality, she was missing. You must have been aware of that. What was your intention?"

"I was thinking of the students, of course," Mr. Ekoda answered. "You children may not understand, but we have to consider the future of everyone affected."

"You mean, you chose not to report this to the police for the 'good of the class'," Mitsuru translated.

"It-It was in her best interest," Mr. Ekoda insisted. "I wouldn't want her records to be stained by something like this! Her parents agree!"

"So to protect your career, you ignored your responsibility as a teacher," Mitsuru pointed out, her voice getting louder. "How despicable!"

"I-I didn't..." Mr. Ekoda stammered. "I was just..."

Mitsuru looked over at Natsuki. "About your friends..." she calmly spoke. "Did you notice anything unusual before the incidents? Anything at all."

"They all heard a voice," Natsuki answered. "A creepy voice, right before each of them went missing. They said it was calling their name."

"Oh man..." Junpei muttered.

Yukari also caught on. "Senpai, could it be...?"

"It's them, no doubt about it," Mitsuru confirmed. "Until now, there was no way of knowing how or why some people are conscious during that time. But it's the voice. It draws them in. It's not a random phenomenon. This whole thing has made me realize... They're clearly targeting humans. They are the enemy of mankind." She looked back at Natsuki. "Stay at our dorm tonight. It's the safest place. If you hear the voice, tell us immediately. And don't leave the room, no matter what. If you can do that much, you should be okay. Don't worry, Yamagishi should be alright as well."

"Fuuka..." Natsuki muttered.

"Shiomi," Mitsuru said. "Iori and Takeba, too. We'll meet after school in the Student Council Room to discuss tonight's operation."

"T-Tonight?!" Junpei stammered.

"We're going to rescue Yamagishi," Mitsuru ordered. "If my guess is right, she's still inside the school."

"Understood!" Yukari replied.

* * *

After school, Kotone met up in the Student Council Room with Yukari, Junpei, Mitsuru, and Akihiko. But while the four had stern expressions, Kotone looked somewhat worried, still feeling bad for what happened in Tartarus not too long ago.

"Tonight, we will infiltrate the campus," Mitsuru ordered. "Our objective is to rescue Fuuka Yamagishi."

"Um, I don't get it..." Junpei admitted. "Is Fuuka inside the school somewhere?"

"And why at night?" Yukari chimed in. "At midnight, this place turns into-" Her eyes widened in realization.

"Tartarus," Kotone finished.

"Exactly," Mitsuru confirmed. "That's how Yamagishi wandered into Tartarus."

"Then, ever since Fuuka got locked in the gym, she's been stuck there...?" Yukari concluded.

"That's correct," Mitsuru agreed.

"But that was ten days ago!" Junpei pointed out. "That means..."

"Not necessarily," Akihiko calmly interrupted. "We can't jump to conclusions. Tartarus only appears during the Dark Hour, so what about the rest of the day?"

"Now that you mention it..." Yukari realized.

"This is only a theory, but I think time may function differently with respect to Tartarus," Akihiko guessed. "So even though it's been ten days for us, perhaps only ten hours have passed for her. It's possible she's still alive."

"Wow, ya think so?" Junpei asked. "Uh... But the Dark Hour is pretty brutal. We can barely handle an hour. How's she gonna last ten?"

"That's true..." Yukari agreed. "And even if she's still alive, we might not be able to get to her..."

"Are you just gonna let her die, then?!" Akihiko shouted. He calmed down from his outburst. "I have an idea. Let's try to enter Tartarus exactly how Fuuka did. We'll go to the gym and wait for midnight. That's the quickest way."

"Senpai..." Kotone muttered, amazed with how well Akihiko was able to come up with an effective plan. Certainly better than when they fought those three Guardian Shadows in Tartarus...

"Is that really gonna work?" Yukari wondered.

"Honestly, I have reservations," Mitsuru added. "If something goes wrong, you could all end up lost in Tartarus too. But..."

"I won't stand by and do nothing if there's a chance we can save her!" Akihiko insisted. "I'd never forgive myself... If you guys don't wanna go, then I'll go by myself!"

"Alright," Mitsuru decided. "We're aware of the risks, but we can't just leave here there."

"I agree," Yukari replied. "And we won't know until we try."

"Cool, we get to sneak into the school!" Junpei cheered. He chuckled as he mischievously rubbed his hands together. "In that case, I know just what to do..."

Kotone, on the other hand, was unsure. "A-Are you sure this is safe?" she wondered.

"I can't guarantee your safety," Mitsuru warned. "But I hope we can count on you, Shiomi."

"No..." Kotone muttered.

"Kotone?" Yukari asked.

"I can't to it, okay?!" Kotone yelled. "I thought I was getting better at this whole Shadow thing at the monorail, but I haven't! I nearly let down the whole team because I wasn't able to adapt with four teammates!"

"That wasn't your fault," Akihiko reassured. "We just didn't have the right Personas-"

"Then would you have come up with a better strategy?" Kotone blurted out.

Akihiko couldn't come up with a response. "Well, I..."

"I'm sorry, but I can't come tonight," Kotone said with a sigh. "I have a feeling you'll all be better off with Sanada-senpai as field leader." With that, she left the Student Council Room.

"Wha- You can't just quit!" Junpei cried out. "C'mon, Kotone! You don't really mean all that!"

Yukari, on the other hand, said nothing. She felt bad for Kotone, wishing there was something she could do to help. But in all honestly, she had a feeling that was going to happen eventually. In all the time she knew her, it felt like the brunette wasn't entirely committed to fighting Shadows. So was this means she was going to quit S.E.E.S.?

Was Kotone going to be alright from now on?

* * *

That evening, Yukari, Junpei, Mitsuru, and Akihiko met up in the dormitory command room without Kotone. Even without her, they were ready to go rescue Fuuka.

"This is a bit worrisome," Mitsuru said. "I can't get ahold of the Chairman."

"I guess we can handle it ourselves," Yukari assumed.

"There's one problem, though," Mitsuru pointed out. "Without the Chairman's help, I'm not sure how we can get inside the school."

"No need to worry," Junpei reassured. "I've got it all set to go."

"Set to go...?" Mitsuru repeated. "An explosive?" She chuckled. "Alright, I'll let you handle this."

"We don't have time to waste," Akihiko said. "Let's go."

* * *

But before the group could leave, Mitsuru had to take care of a special arrangement. She set up her motorcycle by the dorm's entrance, just in case a certain someone changed her mind.

"You sure about this?" Akihiko wondered.

"If it's just to rescue Yamagishi, we don't need a lot of manpower," Mitsuru pointed out, picking up her amplifier from the motorcycle. "Iori and Takeba should be able to handle it by themselves. But just to be safe, I'll arrange for a little insurance."

Meanwhile, Yukari and Junpei were waiting in the lounge, with Junpei snacking on a cup of instant noodles. "I can't believe Kotone would ditch us," Junpei complained. "You think she'll still feel better?"

Yukari sighed. "I'm worried about her," she admitted. "If she keeps fighting without confidence in herself, she might end up dead someday."

"Relax, Yuka-tan," Junpei reassured. "You're overthinking it."

Mitsuru entered the lounge. "Takeba, Iori," she spoke up. "Everything is ready. Let's go."

Junpei quickly finished up his noodles. "Ready!" he exclaimed.

"Are you sure about Kotone?" Yukari wondered.

"Yes," Mitsuru answered. "I'll have her stay here and guard Natsuki Moriyama."

"Well, if you're okay with it," Junpei said.


	16. The Emperor and Empress with the Navigator in the Gym

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new threat strikes during a seemingly-easy rescue mission.

A while later, the team arrived at the high school. To everyone's surprise, Junpei didn't have an explosive ready. All he did was...unlock a door.

"See? We got in no problem," Junpei bragged. "Man, I'm a genius!"

"Is that really something to brag about?" Yukari wondered.

"So you unlocked it earlier..." Mitsuru commented. "Tres bien!"

"Oui," Akihiko agreed. "Let's go."

As Mitsuru and Akihiko walked on ahead, Yukari and Junpei were confused with what their seniors just said.

"What's the big deal, anyway...?" Yukari wondered.

"Tray Ben...? What is that, French?" Junpei asked. He grumbled under his breath. "Lousy seniors and their lousy French..."

* * *

The team eventually arrived at Classroom 2-F. "Can we turn on the lights?" Yukari asked.

"Aww, you scared?" Junpei mocked.

"No!" Yukari shouted in response. "...Stupei."

"Stop callin' me that!" Junpei exclaimed.

"Quiet," Akihiko spoke up. "It's better if we leave 'em off. They cut the power at night, anyway."

"I don't like sneaking around..." Yukari admitted.

"First, we have to find the key to the gym," Mitsuru ordered. "We'll split up into two groups and meet in the main hallway on the first floor. Understood?"

"The Faculty Office, huh?" Junpei asked. "Hey, maybe we'll find some test questions!"

"Are you planning something unscrupulous under my supervision?" Mitsuru questioned. "If so, then expect to be severely punished."

"It-It was a joke!" Junpei panicked. "I'd never do something like that!" Yet his nervous laughed said otherwise.

"Perhaps I'd best take Iori with me to the janitor's room," Mitsuru suggested. Akihiko, head to the faculty office with Takeba. We'll meet back up in the main hallway."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the dorm, Kotone was perfectly content with being a guard duty. She was feeling thirsty at the moment, so she helped herself to a can of soda from one of the dorm's vending machines. At that moment, Natsuki walked over to her. "You're not going?" she asked.

"It was my choice," Kotone answered, speaking in a neutral tone. "They're better off without me. I would only hold them back."

Natsuki let out a laugh. "What's up with that?" she asked. "Well, not that I care."

Kotone took a sip of soda. "You should care," she stated. "Especially towards Fuuka."

"Get real!" Natsuki laughed. "Stuff like that doesn't have anything to do with caring! She annoys me. That's all."

Kotone wordlessly took another sip of soda. "With Fuuka, you can just poke her and she gets this look on her face like it's the end of the world," Natsuki continued. "She always looked so frazzled whenever I gave her a hard time. Then I realized something. She's an honor student, but deep inside, she's just the same as us. I could tell she didn't belong anywhere, either. That's why I let her hang out with us. And could you believe what she said at that point?"

"She said she didn't want you to go somewhere full of scary people," Kotone recited, trying to keep her temper in check. "I was there when she told that to you, during Golden Week."

Natsuki laughed in response. "Yeah, just like that!" she exclaimed. "I only go out to parties because I don't have a home! We're the same, so I can tell. I know exactly which buttons to push. It's fun!"

CRUNCH!

"You people make me sick," Kotone said, gripping onto her now-crushed can of soda.

"Excuse me?" Natsuki asked. "Who do you think you are?"

"Someone who's actually a true friend to Fuuka!" Kotone shouted, her angry gaze fixed onto Natsuki. "If you really were her friend, you wouldn't act like such a bully towards her! Fuuka actually cares about you, but all you and your posse does is push her down and constantly mock her! So are you going to keep shoving her aside for the sake of 'having fun', or are you going to realize what a horrible person you are and forgive her?!"

Natsuki was so surprised that she couldn't respond. "I-I..."

Kotone realized her impulsive action resulted in her uniform getting drenched in soda. "I'm going to go change," she said as she headed back to her room. "Just be quiet and stay here."

* * *

Back at the school, Yukari and Akihiko were able to find the gym key. With both groups reassembled, they met back up in the entrance hall to discuss their next plan.

"Did you find the key?" Mitsuru asked.

"Sure did," Yukari answered, proudly holding up the key.

"Ya know, I heard a scream that sounded kinda familiar..." Junpei cheekily recalled.

"Wha-?!" Yukari yelped.

That surprised Junpei. "What, you actually did?" he realized. "I was just kidding!"

"You wanna make somethin' of it?!" Yukari challenged as she raised her fist towards Junpei.

"Keep it down," Akihiko whispered.

"We'll divide into teams again," Mitsuru ordered. "Two of you will enter Tartarus, and one of you will remain outside with me. Once the Dark Hour has begun, I'll determine Yamagishi's position."

"I'll go," Akihiko volunteered.

"Um, then, I'll be the second-" Yukari started to say.

"Wait a second!" Junpei interrupted. "Remember how I accidentally screwed up on the monorail? Gimme a chance to make up for that!"

"Oh, come on!" Yukari complained. "It's not always about you! Besides, you didn't 'accidentally' screw up."

But Akihiko didn't listen to Yukari. "Alright, Junpei," he agreed. "We'll give you another shot."

"Sweet!” Junpei cheered. "Thanks!"

"Seriously?!" Yukari exclaimed.

"What's wrong, Yukari?" Akihiko wondered. "You don't want to stay behind with Mitsuru?"

"Um, n-no," Yukari stammered. "It's fine."

Mitsuru glanced at a nearby clock. "It's almost time," she reported.

"Let's go!" Akihiko encouraged.

* * *

When the Dark Hour hit, everything went according to plan...at first. While Kotone was going through for a clean outfit to wear, she was completely unaware of Natsuki running out the door with the intention to find Fuuka and apologize. As for the others in S.E.E.S., Mitsuru and Yukari were right next to the entrance while Junpei and Akihiko were climbing up Tartarus. But then, things started to take a turn for the worst when Mitsuru's amplifier started to go haywire.

"We still haven't heard back from them," Mitsuru said. "The amplifier's sensitivity is set to high, too."

Yukari attempted to make small-talk. "O-Oh yeah, that girl, Natsuki," she said. "I hope she's okay at the dorm..."

"Unfortunately, no place is completely safe in the Dark Hour," Mitsuru pointed out. "It was a good thing Shiomi stayed behind. I'm not willing to risk more members."

"Yeah... I guess so..." Yukari replied. "But we're all here for Fuuka's sake-"

Suddenly, a voice was heard through the amplifier."̢̯͕̦̣̲̟M̧̞̬̪̲̝͇̩i̖̰̯t̡su̢r͇͕̱u,͚͈̹͖̘ c͚͍̩̹̙á̹̣̳n̬̪̪̼͟ ̵̜̻̲̱͈̙͉y̨o̖͇͜u̫̳̳̭̲ ̰̬͚̬͝ͅh̵e̸̜̜̭̰̯a̗̺r̬ ͖̩͖̱̻̳̹m̢̙̻̠̗̺̰͇e̷̯̗̠̪͇?̷̟͇̬͙͇̰̩"͏̻̩ It sounded like Akihiko.

"This is Mitsuru," the redhead girl replied. "I've confirmed your position. You're higher up than I expected. You're barely in communication range. Is everyone alright?"

"̖̹I͇̤̤͈͙͝ ̀d͡o̜̱̖͈͖̬̤n̷'͓̖͎̟̖͙t ̝k̼̞̙̝̟̞̲n̡̲̖̪o̼͇̩̘̘͜w͔̟̹͘ͅ,̖͕"͉̥͚̰Akihiko answered."̬̫̩̥W͙̪e̯̪̯̯͡ ̗got̮̯̙̤̜͙͡ ̧̟͖̬͈ș̖͇̙̕ȩ̼̗p͔a̡̙̦̙r̤̝͉̮̟at̫͈̬̺ḛ͓̻̱d̹̮̩̺̱͍͇.̖"҉̯̜̯̜

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru shouted as she started hitting the amplifier. "Come in, Akihiko!"

"Is he out of range?" Yukari wondered. "I'm starting to get worried..."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Junpei and Akihiko were able to regroup. "There you are, Senpai!" Junpei exclaimed, sounding relieved. "Man, I was worried about you!"

"I don't think we should enter Tartarus this way again..." Akihiko replied as he tugged on one of his gloves.

"Oh yeah!" Junpei remembered. "Did you hear a voice while you were in here? Uh... Kinda like-"

"Who is this? Are you human?"

"Th-That's it!" Junpei exclaimed. "That's the voice! It sounded like it came from behind us!"

Sure enough, the source of the voice walked over to the two boys. It was Fuuka, who was still in her winter school uniform. "Are you Fuuka Yamagishi?" Akihiko checked.

"Y-Yes!" Fuuka nervously answered.

"Wow, you're alive!" Junpei cheered. "That's awesome! Never fear, Junpei's here!"

"I'm glad you're okay," Akihiko spoke up. "Come with us."

"Thank you so much," Fuuka said.

"Looks like we made the right decision," Akihiko reported. "I'll see if I can contact Mitsuru."

Fuuka nervously looked around. "Where are we?" she wondered. "I was at school, and then..."

"Well...it's a long story," Junpei answered. "I'll explain after we get outta here."

"Mitsuru, can you hear me?" Akihiko asked. But he couldn't get a response. "No good. All I hear is static."

"Are ya hurt?" Junpei asked Fuuka. "Have you, uh, run into any monsters?"

"So there are strange creatures in here, then..." Fuuka realized. "I've managed to avoid them so far."

"Are you serious?!" Akihiko asked. "How's that possible?!"

"Umm, it's hard to describe, but...I can sort of tell where they are..." Fuuka nervously answered.

"Whaddya mean?" Junpei wondered. "Are you psychic?"

Akihiko's eyes widened in realization. "She has the same power as Mitsuru," he concluded. "Maybe even stronger since Mitsuru's Persona is more battle-oriented."

"Persona...?" Fuuka repeated.

"Hang on to this," Akihiko instructed. He took out a second Evoker and placed it in Fuuka's hands.

Fuuka looked at the Evoker and gasped. "B-But this is...!"

"Think of it as a lucky charm," Akihiko explained. "It's not really a gun."

"Um... Okay...?" Fuuka muttered, still confused.

"Alright, let's get outta here!" Akihiko ordered.

* * *

Back at the dorm, Kotone had changed out of her soda-stained uniform and was now wearing the long-sleeved top and denim skirt Yukari got her, along with a pair of white sandals. Right now she was checking her reflection in her bedroom mirror, wondering what the team is up to.

_"They probably found Fuuka by now,"_ Kotone thought to herself. _"Sanada-senpai has more experience fighting Shadows, so he should have an easier time as field leader."_ She sighed in defeat. _"Meanwhile I'm just the newbie transfer student who started off panicking. What good am I when I can't even adapt to new strategies."_

"It would be a shame to give up so soon."

Kotone let out a yelp as she turned around, only to be greeted by the prison uniform boy once more. "Oh, it's just you," she said, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"It looks like your friends have found the girl," the boy revealed. "Good for them. After all, her abilities are something that you guys need.

"They did find Fuuka," Kotone spoke, sounding a bit sad. "I was right. They didn't need me..."

"But are you sure about that?" the boy wondered. "Even though the other girl left?"

"Other girl...?" Kotone repeated. It took her a few seconds to realize what that meant. "Natsuki left the dorm?!"

"Looks like your words left a strong impact on her," the boy explained. "She has left with the resolve to apologize." He walked over to the window. "And look, there's a full moon tonight."

Kotone looked up at the moon. "It's so bright..." she commented, almost in awe.

* * *

While Junpei and Akihiko were escorting Fuuka, they walked by a few large windows. "Whoa... Check out the moon!" Junpei exclaimed. "I've never seen it so bright."

"Some research indicates that the Shadows are affected by the phases of the moon," Akihiko revealed. "Of course, the same can be said for humans."

"That would explain Yuka-tan's mood swings," Junpei joked. Then he remembered something. "Hey, wasn't it a full moon on the night we went to the monorail?"

"Was it?" Akihiko asked in response.

"I think so..." Junpei answered. "Why?"

* * *

"Enchanting, isn't it?" the boy asked. "Of course, there were two full moons before. Don't you remember."

Kotone nodded in response. "When I first awakened to my Persona...and the monorail battle," she recalled.

* * *

"Today's the 8th..." Akihiko recalled. "The monorail incident happened last month around the same time...and the assault on the dorm was a month before that! They were all during a full moon!"

* * *

"An ordeal is coming tonight," the boy revealed. "Much like the same ordeals that occurred during the previous two full moons."

* * *

"Mitsuru, are you there?!" Akihiko asked.

**"̹̥̺͓͈A͠k̰̠͕ih͟i͙͙̝k̡͕̣̪̠̻͍o҉!̨̖̟̦ ͖̼͎̥̜̞͜ͅ.̹.̪.̟͙̞̱͡S̻̻̠͘h͎̬̱̫a̩͝d̜o̫̼̼̗͈̠̫ws͓͓̞͕̙̦͚͘-̺̣ ̸̹̹̲B̴̫̗͉͉͍̗e҉͚͉ ̛̳̣̘̺̼̝̱c̮͕̼͇̫a̴r̠͔͔͎͕̳̕ͅe͍̲-҉͚̣̼̗͖"̝͉̱̹͓ͅ**

"Hey, can you here me?!" Akihiko asked once more. "Mitsuru, come in!"

"What is this thing?" Fuuka suddenly asked. "It's much bigger than the others...and it's attacking someone!"

"Dammit!!" Akihiko cried out. Then he started running.

"Wh-What's goin' on?!" Junpei asked as he and Fuuka tried to catch up.

"It's one of THEM!" Akihiko answered. "If my guess is right, they come every full moon! We have to hurry!"

* * *

"It looks like your friends will be facing more than one ordeal tonight," the boy continued.

"Th-That's okay..." Kotone insisted, starting to feel unsure. "They have Sanada-senpai... H-He can help take them out..."

"Are you sure that's how you truly feel?" the boy wondered. "It will be difficult to overcome them. If you don't become confident and do something, everyone will die."

That did it for Kotone. "...D-Die?" she echoed, her eyes widening in fear. "They'll die...because of me..."

"Are you okay with that choice?" the boy wondered.

Kotone took a few steps back. "No..." she muttered, tightly clenching her fist. She looked back at the moon, realizing she had a new choice to make. Her eyes, once full of fear, had a new emotion in them. She knew what she had to do.

* * *

When the guys, and Fuuka, arrived back at Tartarus' entrance, they saw two large Shadows dressed in regal clothing. Mitsuru and Yukari were both having trouble fighting them. Luckily Junpei and Akihiko were quick to summon their respected Personas and help them out, but for some reasons, their attacks had mixed results. It was hard to tell what the Shadows' weaknesses were. Worse, when it seemed like they were defeated, they got back up after a flash of colored light. Because of this, it didn't take long for all four Persona wielders to get knocked down.

As for Fuuka, she noticed someone enter the lobby. It was Natsuki, who looked a bit dazed. "Fuuka..." she muttered, her eyes glowing bright red.

"Why are you here?!" Mitsuru asked. "You were supposed to stay in the dorm with Shiomi!"

Fuuka ran over to Natsuki. "Moriyama-san?!" she asked, confused. "Please, get out of here! It's dangerous!"

Natsuki looked at Fuuka. "I..." she muttered, the red color vanishing from her eyes. "I wanted to tell you...I'm sorry..." Tears fell from her eyes. "Fuuka, I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Then she passed out.

But while this reunion was going on, the two Shadows started to approach the girls. "Hey! Look out!" Junpei called out.

Fuuka looked back at the Shadows, holding the Evoker that Akihiko gave her. "I need to protect Moriyama-san!" she decided, putting the Evoker to her forehead.

In a flash of blue light, Fuuka was surrounded by a blue, watery orb that had a woman's torso on top. The Shadows started to attack, but the orb remained intact.

"Be careful!" Akihiko warned. "Your Persona isn't meant for battle!"

But Fuuka didn't move. She stayed put as the Shadows kept attacks, wanting to protect Natsuki no matter what. And for a while, it didn't seem like nothing else was going to happen. Eventually the taller Shadow raised its large sword, ready to strike at Fuuka. And from the looks of it, it was going to deal a lot of action. It seemed like this was truly going to be the end of S.E.E.S.-

Is that a motorcycle revving?

Yes, it is.

To everyone's surprise, [Kotone came rushing in on Mitsuru's motorcycle](https://youtu.be/9cNQFB0TDfY). While she wasn't armed with her naginata, she did bring her Evoker, which she was ready to use. And with the exclamation of a single word, her friends knew this was not the same Kotone Shiomi from before.

"PERSONA!!"

In a flash of familiar blue light, Orpheus appeared in front of Fuuka, using her lyre to deflect the Shadow's sword.

"Orpheus?" Akihiko asked.

"But why?" Yukari wondered.

Mitsuru smiled softly. "Welcome back, Shiomi," she said. "I knew you would return."

"There she is, showing up and hogging all the glory," Junpei happily sighed.

Driving back the sword-wielding Shadow, Orpheus unleashed a fireball through her lyre. But much like Hermes' flame magic, it had no effect.

"Forget about using fire!" Junpei called out. "It won't work! Orpheus' attacks aren't good!"

"Then it's a good thing I have other Personas," Kotone replied as she readied her Evoker once more. "Neko Shogun!"

Another flash of light shot out and a black cat wearing samurai armor appeared, surprising everyone in the process. Raising its fan, it proceeded to deliver a swift strike on both Shadows at once, knocking them down.

"It...worked?" Junpei wondered.

Akihiko, on the other hand, gritted his teeth. "No..."

As if on cue, the multi-colored orbs flashed again and the two Shadows were back on their feet. They punched Neko Shogun towards a pillar, the impact causing him to vanish. At the same time, Kotone winced, feeling literal pain in her back. Could this be an after-effect of using Personas? If they get hurt, you feel the pain as well?

"So it's no use," Akihiko concluded.

"Shiomi! Get Yamagishi and Moriyama and get out of here!" Mitsuru ordered.

"No!" Kotone cried out. "I didn't come here to run away! That's not who I am anymore! I'll fight them off! Get Fuuka out of here!"

"Kotone...?" Yukari muttered in awe.

"I chose to come because for a good reason!" Kotone continued, the grip on her Evoker tightening. "Yukari and Junpei... Sanada-senpai and Kirijo-senpai... I can tell you all have your reasons to fight! Well from now on, I'll also have my own reason!" She readied her Evoker once more. "Helping my friends!"

What happened next could only be described as incredible. One after another, Kotone took turns with using all four of her Personas. Orpheus, Nekomata, Alp, Neko Shogun... They each took turns fighting the two Shadows. Yet there was something off about their movements. As they attacked, it almost looked like they were...dancing. Their movements were surprisingly graceful and they attacked, like they were moving along to a hidden beat. Not even Mitsuru and Akihiko knew Personas could move like that.

Yet while each Persona attacked, the Shadows were quick to counterattack. And with every Evoker activation, Kotone could feel herself getting weaker and weaker. Eventually she started to lose footing and started staggering. But she kept on bringing out her Personas, not wanting to lose her friends. All the others could do was watch helplessly as she allowed herself to drain her stamina all for the sake of helping them out.

But then, Yukari ended up stepping in. Using the remaining strength she had left, she stood up and ran over to Kotone, grabbing her wrist in the process. "Please stop!" she cried out. "If you keep doing this, you'll die!"

"Don't worry about me!" Kotone insisted. "Just hurry up and go!"

But instead of leaving, the others struggled to get back on their feet, summoning their Personas as well. Yet no matter how many attacks were dealt, the Shadows still wouldn't go now. It seemed nothing would work against them.

That is, until suddenly...

**"I can see..."**

That voice surprised everyone. "Is that the voice...?!" Mitsuru wondered.

"Fuuka?" Kotone asked.

**"I... I can sense these monsters' weaknesses, somehow..."**

"For real?!" Junpei exclaimed.

"Just as I thought," Akihiko confirmed. "Mitsuru, let her take your place."

"I get it now," Mitsuru realized. "Yamagishi, can you assist us?"

**"I'll do my best!"**

With Fuuka now on support, the tables had turned now that she can identify the Shadows' weaknesses. So while the five Persona users did their best to defend themselves from oncoming attacks, they also waited to see what attacks would work.

**"Electric attacks should work now."**

"I've been waiting for this!" Akihiko exclaimed as he readied his Evoker. "Polydeuces!"

Polydeuces appeared in a flash of blue light and zapped the sword-wielding Shadow. But as soon as the attack hit, the orbs appeared again, changing its weakness once more.

**"Use slash attacks."**

"My turn has come!" Junpei cheered.

"Allow me to assist you," Mitsuru chimed in.

With the two activating their Evokers, Hermes materialized along with Penthesilea, a blue-clad woman wielding two swords and a whip. They slashed through the Shadows with ease. But just like before, their weaknesses changed once more.

**"Now use wind spells."**

Yukari stepped forward and readied her Evoker. "I can do this!" she cried out.

Io materialized and proceeded to unleash a gust of wind on the taller Shadow. But this time, the orbs didn't appear like before. That could only mean one thing: the team no longer had to deal with the Shadows' rapidly-changing weaknesses, which Fuuka proceeded to confirm.

**"The enemy's barrier has collapsed. All of your attacks can work now."**

With that, the team summoned their Personas for an all-out attack. With Orpheus taking the lead, they attacked all at once, firing spell after spell on the two Shadows. Orpheus flung fireballs, Hermes slashed through, Io created gusts of wind, Polydeuces produced electrical attacks, and Penthesilea threw large chunks of ice. Unable to withstand the attacks, the Shadows finally collapsed and disappeared. With the battle over, the five Personas faded back into their respective hosts.

"Are there more of them...?" Fuuka wondered as her Persona vanished.

"Don't worry, it's over," Akihiko reassured.

At that moment, Natsuki finally regained consciousness. "Fuuka... You..."

Fuuka looked over at Natsuki. "A-Are you alright?" she checked.

"Yeah..." Natsuki answered.

"Thank goodness..." Fuuka sighed. Then she fell unconscious.

"Fuuka?!" Natsuki panicked.

"It's alright," Mitsuru reassured. "She's just exhausted."

"Fuuka..." Natsuki repeated. "Fuuka, I..."

Akihiko was more focused on the enemies that had attack. "Where did these two Shadows come from?" he wondered.

"From somewhere outside of Tartarus, just like before..." Mitsuru answered.

"I see..." Akihiko replied.

"Um, what are we gonna do about Natsuki?" Yukari asked. "She saw the Dark Hour, and the Shadows..."

"Don't worry," Akihiko reassured. "She's not like us, so she won't remember any of it. The good news is, she didn't fall victim to the Shadows, even though he obviously heard their call. She should be safe from now on."

"But that means she'll forget Fuuka saved her life, right?" Yukari pointed out. "That doesn't seem fair..."

"I don't think that's the case," Kotone spoke up, seeing Natsuki cry over Fuuka. "I know why she actually came here. Before the Dark Hour hit, I told her she should be a better friend to Fuuka. She probably took those words to heart and came here on her own free will."

"If that's true, I think she's learned her lesson," Mitsuru chimed in.

It wasn't easy, but the group was able to rescue Fuuka. Yet despite this, Kotone's thoughts went back to that prison uniform boy, who still felt mysterious. But that wasn't all. She felt different now, more confident than before. It seemed her initial assumptions were completely wrong. Her team did need her assistance after all. So from now on, she decided to help out and put in her all with fighting the Shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **25 Years Later...**
> 
> “You can feel it, can you? The bonds you once shared are now in new people. Your power will be stronger than before.”


	17. Good Vibes All Around Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a new friend joining S.E.E.S., Kotone’s mood takes a turn for the better.

Things gradually started to recover after that battle. Fuuka and Natsuki were brought to the hospital, while everyone in S.E.E.S. when back to their usual routines. Yet despite this, Kotone had drastically change. With her resolve to protect her friends, she became more prominent in her role as field leader, letting go of her envy towards Akihiko in the process. This was even reflected in her Personas, who all continued to move in a dance-like manner during combat. Because of this, the others assumed the Personas were expressing Kotone's true self, her newfound confidence shining through.

Then one day, a few days after the full moon battle, Kotone received a text message from Akihiko. It seems Fuuka was being released from the hospital today. He also mentioned wanting to talk to her tonight, presumably about her Persona abilities. So after spending time after school with Junpei and talking about the future (while also starting to question her own plans as well), the two headed back to the dorm and met up with everyone else in the command room. And just like what Akihiko said, Fuuka was also present.

"You're Fuuka Yamagishi, right?" Mr. Ikutsuki asked.

"Yes," Fuuka answered, now wearing her summer school uniform.

"Relax," Mr. Ikutsuki reassured with a friendly chuckle. "There's no need to be nervous. Why don't you have a seat?"

"Oh, thank you," Fuuka replied. She ended up sitting right next to Kotone.

"Everyone, you did an excellent job uncovering the truth," Mr. Ikutsuki praised. "Especially you, Ms. Yuki-Shiomi. I'm pleased to see you're now fully committed to the team."

"Anything for my friends," Kotone said. "We're a solid team."

"I also wanted to let you know the three girls have all regained consciousness," Mr. Ikutsuki continued.

"What a relief..." Fuuka sighed.

"From what I understand, they each came to school around midnight and waited for the security guard to leave," Mr. Ikutsuki explained. "They were attacked by Shadows near the gate as the Dark Hour began. However, the facts became twisted because of rumors concerning a ghost story."

"I knew right from the beginning that it wasn't a ghost," Yukari chimed in.

Fuuka, on the other hand, looked guilty. "It's all my fault..." Fuuka muttered.

"Hey, don't blame yourself," Kotone reassured. "It was those Shadows that attacked the girls not you."

"She's right," Yukari agreed. "You were the victim."

"But, I made so many people worry..." Fuuka pointed out.

"Hey, don't think like that..." Yukari reassured.

"We could have lost that fight if you weren't there," Mitsuru pointed out. "You saved our lives. You should feel good about yourself. You have a special power that you can use to help others."

"A special power...?" Fuuka echoed.

"We call it Persona," Mitsuru explained. "You could be a tremendous help to us. Will you lend us your strength?"

"Are you asking me to join you?" Fuuka asked in response.

"That's correct," Mitsuru answered.

"I think you'd make a good addition to the team, too," Akihiko agreed. "And from what I heard, you're already acquainted with some of our members."

"You know, we're not trying to pressure you," Yukari reassured. "So if you need some time to think about it-"

"I'll do it," Fuuka decided. "I'll help you!"

That took Yukari by surprise. "A-Are you sure?!" she checked. "If you join, you'll have to live here."

"That's fine," Fuuka insisted. "I'd rather live here than at home, anyway."

"We really appreciate this," Mitsuru said. "We'll have the school talk to your parents to resolve any issues."

"Thank you," Fuuka replied.

But Yukari was still a bit nervous about Fuuka's sudden answer. "Aren't we dragging her into this a bit fast?" she wondered.

"Um, it's okay, really," Fuuka insisted. "I mean...I have you and Kotone helping me out, so I don't feel entirely alone."

"That's right," Kotone cheerfully agreed. "Because the three of us are friends!"

"Thanks," Fuuka replied with a kind smile.

"And if you have trouble, you can ask us about anything," Kotone added.

"Now then, those special Shadows showed up again," Mr. Ikutsuki reported. "We still don't know where they're coming from, but Akihiko is right about one thing: their appearances seem to coincide with the full moon. We'll take that into consideration from now on."

"So they're kinda like werewolves then, huh?" Junpei guessed.

"It's a big advantage for us to know when to expect them," Akihiko pointed out. "Now, on the day of the fight..." He tugged on one of his gloves with a confident smirk. "...we'll be ready to get in the ring."

But with that idea in mind, Kotone wondered if that was what the mysterious prison boy keeps talking about. She was going to have to prepare herself and come up with a good strategy for the next full moon.

* * *

The next day, on the way to school, Yukari decided to ask a very important question. "Hey Kotone..." she said. "What do you think about Fuuka?"

"What do you mean by that?" Kotone asked in response. "She's a good friend."

"Not just that," Yukari clarified. "What do you think about Fuuka as a person?"

"Oh... That..." Kotone realized. "She was very helpful during that tough battle."

"You think so?" Yukari asked. "I mean, yeah, her Persona ability is great n' all, but doesn't it kinda seem like she was forced into joining us?"

"Not exactly," Kotone answered. "She probably said 'yes' right away because we met during Golden Week, so to her, she's already recognizes familiar faces."

"I just hope she'll be okay..." Yukari muttered, still a bit worried.

* * *

Some time later, at school, Fuuka nervously entered classroom 2-E. But as soon as she set foot, she could instantly hear the other students talking about her.

"Hey, the ghost girl is back!"

"Quiet, she can hear you!"

But before anything else could happen, Natsuki entered the classroom as well. "Fuuka, you in here?" she asked, walking over to the teal-haired girl.

"Moriyama-san?" Fuuka asked.

"I heard you started living in the dorms," Natsuki said.

"Y-Yeah..." Fuuka nervously confirmed.

"You'll need to buy some stuff, right?" Natsuki figured. "If you want, I can tag along with you when we go shopping."

Fuuka looked surprised at first, but then she started smiling. "Moriyama-san.."

"Oh, come on," Natsuki said. "Just call me Natsuki."

"Thank you..." Fuuka happily replied.

Meanwhile, Kotone, Yukari, and Junpei were right outside the classroom, having just watch the events unfold. Kotone was smiling wide, happy to see Natsuki was able to make amends with Fuuka.

"So you were able to talk some sense into that Natsuki girl?" Junpei recalled. "What did you say to get her to apologize?"

"Oh, I just yelled in her face about not being a true friend and to get her to stop bullying Fuuka," Kotone answered. "Which reminds me, you owe me a can of soda."

That took Junpei by surprise. "What?!" he exclaimed. "Where'd that come from?!"

But instead of properly responding, Kotone let out of a playful laugh and proceeded to walk over to her classroom with Junpei and Yukari following her, smiling as well. There was no doubt about it that the three had come a long way since that first day of school, having formed a solid friendship that would seem to be completely unbreakable not matter what happens next for them.

And you know what? Kotone couldn't have been happier about it.

* * *

Of course, Kotone's happy mood continued after class, when she was once again asked to go to the Velvet Room for another on of Theodore's request. This time he wanted to go to Iwatodai Station. So after accepting the request, she brought up over to the station, but for some reason, he didn't want to get on the escalator.

"These stairs..." Theodore commented, looking a bit nervous. "They're moving! I-I've heard of this... It's called an escalator, no?"

"It is," Kotone answered.

"I shouldn't have any problems riding something like this," Theodore said. "...Should I?" But despite his words, he wasn't budging in the slightest. Was he having a hard time grasping the timing of it?

"If you're feeling uncomfortable, maybe we can take the stairs instead," Kotone suggested.

"P-Perhaps that's for the best," Theodore agreed, sounding more relieved. "Yes, let us make use of these stairs. Please, allow me." He took Kotone's hand and led her down the stairs like a true gentleman.

* * *

The next stop was the Iwatodai Strip Mall. "So this is a strip mall..." Theodore commented. "A lively place, indeed."

"Junpei drags me here for ramen," Kotone recalled. "It was fine at first, but I started to get worried about my weight."

Theodore detected a scent. "This smell..." he muttered. "No, no, don't tell me..." He ran over to Octopia, surprising the store's cook in the process.

"Whoa, you can figure out our secret ingredient just by its smell?" the cook asked. "How 'bout it? Wanna buy one? It'll make you smile so wide, your cheeks will fall off!"

Theodore looked alarmed. "So good as to make one's cheeks fall off?!" he exclaimed. "That...would be dire, indeed!"

Kotone sighed in exasperation. "Geez... It's just a metaphor," she corrected.

"Eh...?" Theodore muttered. "O-Of course, as if such a thing could possibly happen..." Yet he still seemed wary of the takoyaki.

Kotone ended up buying one, anyway. After finding a place to sit down, she proceeded to share the takoyaki with Theodore, hoping to calm him down. And sure enough, after a few bites, he was more at ease.

"97 degrees Fahrenheit..." Theodore commented. "And this texture... There's no mistaking it..." He hummed to himself.

"It's made out of octopus," Kotone explained.

"Certainly, there is octopus in it," Theodore agreed. "When considering its composition, it could be said to be almost entirely octopus. But using THAT for cooking... It's apparent now why one's cheeks might fall off!" He gasped as he pinched his cheeks. Then to Kotone's surprise, he pinched her cheek as well for some reason. "Yours seem to be in no danger. Thank goodness!"

"Thanks...?" Kotone replied as she rubbed her pinched cheek.

"If anything were to happen to you..." Theodore said. "You are, after all, a valued guest." He finally noticed Kotone's slightly pained expression. "...That hurt, didn't it? I'm so sorry..." He then proceeded to stroke her cheek.

* * *

After finishing up the takoyaki, Theodore received a takoyaki-shaped cell phone strap. It was probably because the cook was pleased with him because of his earlier compliment.

"Well now, isn't this charming?" Theodore asked as he proudly held up the strap. "Would this be considered...a souvenir of my time with you?" He smiled fondly. "How unfortunate... I'm acquired something precious to me. It's your fault, you realize. That's why I won't let you have this." He let out a polite chuckle, in which Kotone smiled in response.

* * *

After walking around a bit more at the strip mall, Theodore looked satisfied. "Thank you for showing me such a delightful time today, Ms. Shiomi," he said. "The flow of time is fixed at a certain speed, and yet it seems there are moments when it passes so quickly."

HONK HONK!

"Oh..." Theodore gasped. "That car's-" He quickly pushed Kotone towards the sidewalk. "You mustn't allow yourself to become so lost in thought. Now, let us go."

* * *

Back at the Velvet Room, Theodore was still happy with today's outing. "Thank you for showing me around Iwatodai Station," he said. "That machine you called an 'escalator'... It was very interesting, yet rather frightening. It is quite a relief there isn't one in the Velvet Room. Still, I was able to experience a new an fascinating taste of your cuisine today."

"I see you had quite an eventful outing, Theodore," Igor commented. "I take it you enjoyed your time with Ms. Shiomi, as usual."

"Indeed I did, Master," Theodore confirmed. He looked back at Kotone. "In order to keep that memory in my mind, I want to recreate the dish we shared. However, I'm having difficulty in determining how to implement that 'near-octopus' flavor. Now as for a reward, I've prepared something special." He revealed a bright blue scale. "With this, you can fuse Empusa. It brings to mind a beautiful beast, but she, too, arises from the sea of your soul. I wish I could gain a greater appreciation for what your soul is like. Please take this a your reward."

"Thanks," Kotone replied, happily accepting the scale.

Igor, on the other hand, looked at Kotone with a somewhat worried expression, which she quickly noticed. "What's wrong, Igor?"

"I sense something new within your heart, yet I cannot seem to determine why," Igor answered. He then proceeded to lay out some Tarot cards face-down. "Perhaps a reading can clear things up."

"Um... Sure..." Kotone agreed. She proceeded to sit on the lyre-shaped chair. "I can go for a quick reading."

"Splendid decision," Igor said with a chuckle. With the cards arranged in a double triad spread, he proceeded to flip them over one at a time. The six cards forming the circle were revealed to be labeled 'Magician', 'Chariot', 'Empress', 'High Priestess', 'Devil', and 'Fortune', while the inner card was labeled 'Moon'. With the card revealed, Igor looked both surprised and confused.

"What does this mean?" Kotone wondered.

"I...cannot seem to tell..." Igor admitted. "The way these cards are laid out seems to suggest an unforeseen event, one that I cannot determine. Yet this card..." He pointed at the Moon card. "...seems to be very important on your journey. You must be careful, Ms. Shiomi, for the Moon represents a feeling of confusion or worrying that may be blocking your intuition. Strengthen your bonds, and you shall overcome a great tragedy in the near future."

"What kind of tragedy?" Kotone asked.

"One that you must overcome with your friends," Igor answered. "You will know what to do when the time comes. After all, there is no greater power than love itself."

"Okay...I think..." Kotone said, still a bit unsure about those words. "Thank you for your advice."

But when Kotone left the Velvet Room, Igor looked back at the Tarot cards once more. "Be careful, Ms. Shiomi..." he warned, speaking in a low whisper. "For if [Master](https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Philemon)'s fears are correct, you will have more than a tragedy to worry about..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But what could this tragedy be...?


	18. New Faces, New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotone makes some new friends.

The rest of the day went pretty darn well. After the visit to the Velvet Room, there was still enough daylight left, so Kotone decided to have another girl's day with Yukari. Sure there was a sudden phone call regarding Yukari's mom, but that didn't stop the two from having a fun shopping spree. Kotone even bought some cute floral barrettes at the strip mall's clothing store.

Yet that evening, while Kotone was trying to sleep, she was once again greeted by the prison boy during the Dark Hour. "You've prevailed yet again," he complimented. "Do you remember what I said before? About everything coming to an end?"

"Yeah," Kotone answered. "What about it?"

"Well, I recalled something else..." the boy revealed. "I'm fairly sure that the end is inevitable. But it's funny... It doesn't seem so certain, considering the vast potential within you. As a matter of fact, your power seems to have changed quite a bit."

"I know," Kotone agreed. "I can feel myself changing, too."

"Hey, if you don't mind, can I be your friend?" the boy suddenly asked. "I'm very curious about you... Is that okay?"

Kotone let out a small laugh. "That's a silly question," she replied. "Aren't we friends already?"

The boy chuckled in response. "You're right," he agreed. "I didn't really need to bring it up, did I? After all, I've been with you from the beginning. My name is...Pharos. You may call me that if you wish."

Kotone smiled softly, feeling a faint bond with the mysterious boy named Pharos. "Nice to see you again...Pharos," she said, glad to finally call him by a proper name.

"It's getting late, so I'll go now," Pharos said. "I'm already looking forward to our next meeting." He slowly waved his hand. "Bye-bye."

Kotone waved as well as Pharos disappeared once more, but this time, she felt more at ease with his regular visits.

* * *

The next day, Kotone met up with Mitsuru near the school entrance. "Good morning, Shiomi," the older student greeted. "Yamagishi will be living in the dorm with us. And starting tonight, she'll be providing us with support during battle. So now I can rejoin the frontline."

"That's good to hear," Kotone replied. "You were reliable with support. Now I can see how reliable you are in combat."

"Yes, you can depend on me," Mitsuru agreed with a gentle smile. "Even though I'm a bit out of practice, I will soon return to my prior form."

* * *

When classes were done for the day, Kotone was about to head back to the dorm when Fuuka rushed over to her. "Hi, Fuuka," the brunette girl greeted. "What's up?"

"Are you busy?" Fuuka wondered. "It'd be nice if you were hungry too..."

"Sure, I'm down," Kotone replied.

"In that case, would you do me a favor?" Fuuka asked. She held up a boxed lunch. "I want you to taste the lunch I packed. To be honest, I don't have very much confidence in my cooking... But today, I think it turned out okay."

Looking at the boxed lunch, Kotone had a bad feeling about this. But with her newfound courage, she was brave enough to happily nod her head in response. After all, she and Fuuka are already good friends. It would be nice if they could bond a bit more.

"Oh, thank you!" Fuuka happily exclaimed. "Please come with me."

* * *

Fuuka brought Kotone over to the home economic classroom. Once there, Fuuka gave the boxed lunch to Kotone. But before she could open the box, she smelled an unsavory odor coming from the lunch. Taking a deep breath, she opened it up...and nearly fainted from how unappetizing it looked.

"Please eat up!" Fuuka encouraged, watching the brunette expectantly.

Wanting to encourage her friend, Kotone decided to try out this boxed lunch. But upon taking that first bite, she winced. She couldn't swallow and chew the food. It tasted as bad as it looked. But after a while, she was able to finish eating the bite.

"How is it?" Fuuka wondered.

"N-Now bad for a first attempt!" Kotone replied, not wanting to hurt Fuuka's feelings.

"Really?" Fuuka asked. "But...please let me know if there's anything I can improve on." She paused. "Sorry that I asked you to try this all of a sudden. To tell the truth... Um, did you notice? Look at the blackboard."

Kotone looked at the blackboard. "Cooking Club...?" she read.

Fuuka giggled in response. "I've decided to start a cooking club!" she revealed. "Then again, I'm the only member so far... I'm going to keep trying my best, so would you mind stopping by and trying my new creations sometime?"

"Sure," Kotone answered. "I can even join your club." She didn't want to say it out loud, but maybe she could also help Fuuka improve her cooking...

"Really?!" Fuuka asked. "Thank you, Kotone! I'll try my best, so let's work hard at it!"

With that, a stronger bond was forged between the two girls. And much during Golden Week, Kotone could see a slight image a unicorn, but this time the image was a lot clearer. Sensing that this was yet another Persona, she wondered what kind of powers this one has.

* * *

For a while, nothing major happened. One time after school, Kotone offered to help Junpei study. Things were going great until he noticed a nearby boy holding a camera, but he ran off. Thinking this was the one responsible for the leaked photo, Junpei vowed to take care of the issue, yet Kotone wasn't sure what he had in mind.

During another day, Akihiko invited Kotone over to the beef bowl shop. But just as they were about to enter, they were approached by two of Akihiko's fans. Sensing their hostility, Kotone insisted on ignoring them. Yet to her surprise, when she tried asking him about it, he seemed completely clueless when it came to girls in general. Yet despite his cluelessness, his face turned red for some reason. She started to wonder what his type might be as a result.

The one day, after class, Mitsuru entered the classroom. "Mind if I interrupt?" Mitsuru asked.

"What is it?" Kotone asked in response.

"I was just told by the Chairman that he'll be stopping by this evening," Mitsuru reported. "When you get back, come to the 4th floor meeting room."

"Oh, um... Okay," Yukari muttered.

"I'll see you all later," Mitsuru said. Then she left as quickly as she entered.

* * *

Instead of doing the usual activities, Kotone decided to just head back to the dorm with Yukari. But as soon as they arrived, they noticed Fuuka was already there, playing with a white dog. At the moment she asked the pup for a pawshake, which worked surprisingly well. This dog appeared to be train despite being a stray.

"Oooh, he did it!" Yukari gushed. "What a smart dog!"

Fuuka noticed the other two girls. "Oh, hi," she greeted. She looked back at the dog. "Koro-chan, go say hi. You can do that, right?"

The dog barked in response and nuzzled Kotone, who was in complete awe. "Doggy..." she gushed, happily scratching the dog's head.

"His name's Koromaru," Fuuka explained. "I've seen him sitting by the steps of the shrine."

At that moment, a woman walked by and noticed the girls. "Oh... This dog still goes on walks all by himself?"

"Whaddya mean?" Yukari wondered.

"He used to belong to the priest at the Naganaki Shrine," the woman answered. "Every afternoon, the two of them went this way for a walk."

"That explains it..." Fuuka chimed in.

"What happened to the priest?" Kotone wondered.

"He passed away," the woman continued. "It was about six months ago... The priest was hit by a car while walking his dog. He didn't survive. Ever since then, that dog sits patiently by the site of the accident. And he goes for a walk everyday, just like when his owner was still alive." She checked her watch. "Oh shoot, I have to get going! My son will be back soon!" She left without another word.

"Aww, you're such a loyal dog!" Yukari gushed. "Good boy!"

"...Huh?" Fuuka muttered, looking at Koromaru.

"What's wrong?" Yukari asked.

"Oh, nothing. Sorry," Fuuka dismissed. "Wait, isn't the Chairman coming today?"

"He is," Kotone confirmed.

"Then we should go get ready," Fuuka replied.

"Yeah," Yukari agreed. "See you later, Koro-chan."

Koromaru barked in response as the three girls entered the dorm.

* * *

In the command room, everyone gathered to hear what Mr. Ikutsuki had to say. "Hello, everyone," he spoke. "I wanted to let you know how my research has been going. This concerns those Shadows that have been appearing during full moons. I want you to listen closely. It might be hard to follow.

"Shadows can be divided into 12 categories, according to their characteristics. This we've known for a while. It's like their class or order. Now, I've classified the special Shadows we've seen so far, and...it's simply fascinating! Those four Shadows belonged to Categories I through IV, in order of their appearance. They may have looked different than the more common ones, but the classification scheme still applies."

"Is that something we should be excited about?" Junpei wondered.

"Oh, I get it..." Fuuka chimed in. "There's 12 in all, eight we haven't seen yet."

"That's exactly right, Fuuka," Mr. Ikutsuki confirmed. "You're quite sharp."

"Oh, uh, okay..." Junpei muttered, still confused. "But what are they after?"

"That's a good question," Mr. Ikutsuki replied. "And that's what we haven't figured out yet: their motive. They don't kill their prey. They feed on their minds. It can be considered predation, but is it really? Is there an underlying intent behind their behavior? The purpose of the Shadows as a whole... That's what we need to consider."

"This is interesting," Akihiko commented. "But no matter what, we still have to beat the rest of 'em."

"I agree," Mitsuru chimed in. "That's about all we can do at this point."

"Eight more, huh?" Yukari asked, sounding less-than-thrilled. "Lucky us."

"According to the data, each one has been stronger than the last, so we better start training harder," Fuuka advised.

"We'll manage," Akihiko reassured. "We've got plenty of time."

"What about Tartarus?" Yukari wondered. "Why does it even exist?"

But Mitsuru didn't respond. Despite the fact that she still remained silent about it, the pieces were slowly falling into place. If there were going to be eight more strong Shadows during a full moon, Kotone knew she was going to have to step up her role as field leader. Yet what was the purpose of these Shadows...?

* * *

The next day, Kotone decided to visit the shrine. Since it was warm outside, she now needed a new, cooler outfit. She ended up settling with a short-sleeved orange shirt over a red-and-white striped spaghetti strap top, a white skirt and white sandals. Of course, she still had her hair tied up in her usual ponytail.

When Kotone got to the shrine, she ended up coming across Yukari and Junpei, both of them in their summer outfits as well, along with a young boy she never saw before. He was brunette and wore orange clothing. Curious, she walked over to the three.

"Hey guys," Kotone said.

"Hey, Kotone," Yukari replied. "Let me introduce you to Ken-kun."

"Nice to meet you," the young boy spoke up. "My name is Ken Amada. Are you friends with Yukari-san and Junpei-san?"

"We sure are," Kotone happily answered.

"She lives in the same dorm as me and Yuka-tan," Junpei added.

"Really?" Ken asked. "I didn't know boys and girls could live in the same dorm."

Yukari wasn't sure how to explain why that was the case. "Umm, uhh, well..." she stammered. "It's like..."

"There weren't enough empty rooms in the other dorms," Kotone answered. "It's how the school system works. Students temporarily live in a single co-ed dorm until more room is available."

"Y-Yeah! That's it!" Junpei nervously agreed.

"So how did you meet Yukari and Junpei?" Kotone asked.

"Junpei-san came up to me first, actually," Ken answered. "After that, Yukari-san came, and I'd sometimes talk to her too."

"Is that so..." Kotone commented.

"Heh... I couldn't help it," Junpei said with a shrug. "The little guy looked so sad, being here all alone. So I talked to him. Not on purpose, I mean."

"That's so sweet," Kotone said. She looked over at Ken. "Yukari already said it, but I'm Kotone Shiomi. It's nice to meet another friend."

Ken was surprised by Kotone's forwardness. "S-Sure..." he stammered. "Nice to meet you too...Shiomi-san."

"You'll get used to it," Yukari advised. "Once you speak to Kotone, she instantly becomes your friend."

"Yep!" Kotone agreed. "And you don't need to be so formal with me."

Yet despite this, Ken didn't respond. Maybe it could take him a while to get used to her...


	19. Junpei's Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It sure is somewhat boring between full moon battles...

For a while, not much happened. Kotone went to school during the day, while exploring Tartarus at night. She also had tennis club and often hung out with her friends, with the activities being the usual. Shopping with Yukari, hanging out at the strip mall with Junpei (since he quickly caught on that she was worried about gaining weight from eating a lot of ramen), and helping Fuuka out with her cooking. She also noticed that every time she hung out with her friends, her Personas felt stronger, probably because each of them represent her bonds.

Yet during school, Kotone started to hear growing rumors about a revenge request website. According to the other students, if someone submits the name of someone they want to get revenge on, the person who supposedly created the website will accomplish the request. Of course, Kotone didn't like the sound of it. The very thought of creating such a website disgusted her.

_"I wish people wouldn't do stuff like that,"_ Kotone thought to herself. _"Life would probably be better if everyone just got along with each other."_

* * *

On one particular evening, a certain someone was hanging out at Hagakure Ramen. But it wasn't just any certain someone. It was Shinjiro, who was currently eating a bowlful of ramen.

Akihiko walked in and casually sat next to Shinjiro. "Hi, how are you today?" the server asked. "Just one?"

"I'll have what he's having," Akihiko answered.

"Coming right up," the server replied. He called out to the employees in the back. "One house special!"

While the ramen was being prepared, Akihiko looked over at Shinjiro. "How can you eat the same thing all the time without getting sick of it?" he wondered.

"Shut up," Shinjiro responded. "You always eat that protein shit."

A while later, the server handed out a large bowl of ramen. "Here you go, one house special!" he told Akihiko. "Be careful, it's hot."

Akihiko took a bite of some of his ramen. "...Yow, he wasn't kidding."

For a while, the two ate in silence. After a few minutes had passed, Akihiko spoke up. "You still haven't made up your mind?"

"Is that was this is about?" Shinjiro asked in response.

"We've got four new members," Akihiko explained. "Things have changed quite a bit since you left. We're more aggressive now."

"I'm not interested," Shinjiro dismissed.

"Think about it, Shinji," Akihiko encouraged. "Don't let your power go to waste."

"My power ain't worth shit," Shinjiro responded.

"Shinji!" Akihiko shouted.

"I made up my mind a long time ago," Shinjiro insisted. "I ain't goin' back."

"You have to let the past go," Akihiko disagreed. "What's done is done. It's time you moved on."

"You should talk," Shinjiro scoffed.

"What?" Akihiko asked.

"Face it... You're no different than me," Shinjiro clarified.

* * *

As the school days passed, Kotone noticed there was something off about Yukari. Every time the team went to Tartarus, she kept on acting more aggressive when it came to combat. One day, during the train ride to school, Kotone decided to ask Junpei about it. While he agreed to keep a close eye on Yukari, Kotone noticed there was a bruise under Junpei's eye.

"Hey, Junpei..." Kotone spoke up. "Are you alright?"

"Uh... Did you notice?" Junpei muttered, feeling embarrassed. "Don't stare at it so much. It's just a punch."

That alarmed Kotone. "Who did it?" she demanded.

"Um, w-well, who cares!" Junpei stammered. "Don't bother asking, okay? It's really lame! I don't wanna say it!" He scratched his head. "Well, in any case... I don't think there's going to be any more photos of you going around."

"Really?" Kotone asked. "Thank you!"

Junpei chuckled in response, flattered by the response. "I think...this is my first time," he confessed.

"For what, getting punched?" Kotone guessed.

"I've been punched way too many times before," Junpei admitted with a laugh. "I thought that if I laughed my way out of everything, I'd never be in trouble. That's why I try to avoid having to be serious whenever I can. You know those times when everyone sits around and talks seriously?"

"What about them?" Kotone asked in response.

"I really don't like those, so I'll goof around," Junpei continued. "I thought I could breeze my way through things and try to be fun. It's so much easier than having to do stuff like understanding other people. But after meeting you and the others, I've changed a little. Not everything about everyone's cool, right? Everybody has parts of them that are cool or lame, but they're all doing what's best for themselves."

"Just like us," Kotone replied.

"Yeah... About that..." Junpei muttered. "After seeing you all like that...I think I got scared. There's no way you can understand each other unless you say what you think. Staying quiet and trying to act cool won't tell anybody anything. Seeing someone way smaller than me put everything they have into something... It made me ashamed of myself."

"How so?" Kotone wondered.

"I've never tried my hardest in anything," Junpei answered. "I don't take anything seriously. That's why I never gain anything...and why I'm never happy. I realized that I'm not living my life at all."

"Hey, that's not true at all," Kotone reassured. "Remember when we fought that monorail Shadow with Yukari? You worked hard to help us out."

Junpei laughed in response. "Thanks..." he replied. "When I got back those pictures of you, it crossed my mind. In the end, I just wanted you to trust in me. Like, if someone like you could trust in me, then I might be worth something... But trying to get you to rely on me to solve this is just wrong. You're an important friend of mine, after all."

Kotone smiled. "Thanks Junpei," she said. "You're an important friend to me, too."

* * *

Later that day, once classes were done, Akihiko offered to walk back to the dorm with Kotone, much to her confusion. As they walked, Kotone noticed Akihiko was completely silent. This worried her, since he was usually a chatty person.

"Are you feeling sick?" Kotone checked.

"Huh...?" Akihiko muttered. "...Oh, right. Sorry. Look, if you don't want to tell me, then you don't have to."

"Tell you about what?" Kotone wondered.

"It's just..." Akihiko replied. He was silent for a few seconds. "Is it true you're going out with Junpei?"

"No," Kotone casually answered. "He's just a friend."

"I see..." Akihiko muttered.

"Why would you ask that, anyway?" Kotone wondered.

"It was just a rumor I heard," Akihiko explained. "Sorry."

"It's alright," Kotone reassured. "I'm not really sure what my type is, so I can see how rumors like that would spread."

"I see..." Akihiko repeated. He looked relieved. "Sorry, it just surprised me a little." He paused. "It's bad enough that I listened to a rumor, but then I confronted you about it... It was incredibly rude of me. If I hear anyone say that again, I'll tell them it's not true."

"Please do," Kotone said. "Rumors are the worst."

"Yeah, I don't like rumors either," Akihiko agreed. "Um... Do you want anything to eat!"

"Hmm..." Kotone muttered. "I could go for something spicy."

"That might be nice for a change," Akihiko commented.

As the two headed over to the strip mall, Kotone noticed Akihiko brightened up, as if a major weight was lifted from his shoulders. Was he worried about her?


	20. Magician Rank 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotone begins to form stronger bonds with her friends/teammates.

For a while, not much happened. Aside from tennis practice, Kotone mostly hung out with Yukari, Fuuka, Junpei, and Akihiko. It was pretty much the usual activities. Basic girl-bonding at the mall with Yukari (except for that one time she nearly got hit by a car), helping Fuuka improve her cooking, strip mall hang outs with Junpei, and training with Akihiko. As for Mitsuru, Kotone still felt intimidated by her, so she kept her distance from her.

Then one night, Kotone was greeted by Pharos during the Dark Hour. "Hi," he greeted. "Can you guess what I'm going to tell you?"

"I think so," Kotone answered with a gentle smile. "There's another full moon Shadow we need to defeat."

Pharos chuckled. "You're used to it by now, huh?"

"In a way," Kotone admitted.

"But you're correct," Pharos continued. "The next full moon will be in one week. Are you prepared? Be careful, okay?"

"Don't worry, I have my friends," Kotone reassured. "We'll take it down as long as we work together."

"What a delight to hear that," Pharos complimented. "I'll come again." And just like before, he vanished into the shadows.

* * *

A few days later, once classes were done, Junpei asked Kotone if they could talk. He looked serious about it, so she accepted his offer. He ended up bringing her to Hagakure Ramen. While he ordered his usual bowl of ramen, Kotone asked for a few crackers. When their food arrived, they ate in comfortable silence.

"So, um..." Junpei spoke up. He laughed nervously. "I'm no good at this... Where do I start?"

Kotone's cheeks turned pink. "Are you...going to confess your love?" she wondered.

"Wha- N-No!" Junpei stammered. "Uhh, well... I had something serious to talk about. I want you to have this." He took out a key holder that looked like a toy pig. "I never had much I was that attached to, but I always held onto this for some reason." He placed the key holder in Kotone's hand.

"What's so special about this?" Kotone asked.

"I used to keep my house keys on that," Junpei explained. "Thing is, I never wanted to go home. So when it turned out I was gonna get to live at the dorm, you wouldn't believe how happy I was. I thought after that, I could turn my back on it all. So I kept this keychain and house keys stashed away, since I figured I'd never have to use 'em again. But after a while...I didn't like the way I was trying to avoid stuff.

"I knew the problem wasn't gonna go away just 'cause I wouldn't look at it...and that I was lame for ever thinking so... That's why I dug these out. I plan to go see my dad, too. Then again, I'm still kinda chicken. If you hold onto these for me, it'll be like you've got my back for it. That way, I'd have the guts to see him."

Kotone noticed Junpei's hands were trembling, so she gently held them. "Hey, don't worry about it," she reassured. "I can tell that it took all this courage you have to tell me this. You got this. Go talk to your dad. If it doesn't go well, you still have me and Yukari."

"Thanks, Kotone," Junpei happily replied. He gently squeezed Kotone's hands. "And you can talk to me too, if anything's bothering you, all right? And I'm not saying so because I wanna be the guy people turn to. It's just... You don't have to do everything yourself. You and the rest of the gang were there for me, and I'm here for you the same way. Don't forget that. Okay?"

"Of course not," Kotone agreed. "We're friends, after all." She could sense strong affection from Junpei, triggering a newfound burst of energy from Nekomata.

After a few seconds of comfortable silence, Kotone and Junpei released their grip and he went back to eating. "You know, I'm glad I got this power," he said after swallowing a mouthful of ramen. "And it's not because it makes me kinda like a superhero or anything. It always bugged me, that weakness I knew was there inside. But I feel like I can change. And I think that if it wasn't for you and the rest, I wouldn't have that feeling, even with this power. Or worse, I mighta done the wrong things with it. So...thanks."

At that moment, Kotone noticed Junpei's face was turning red. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I-I'm fine..." Junpei stammered. He sighed. "Geez, listen to me, goin' on like that." He playfully nudged Kotone in the elbow. "C'mon, let's eat! You sure you don't want some green onion barbecued pork?"

"Nah, I'm good," Kotone replied. She was glad she has a good friend like Junpei by her side.

* * *

Tartarus explorations were also relatively the same as before. Except this time, Mitsuru joined in on combat since Fuuka was now on support. And in all honesty, Kotone was glad about this new change in strategy. Mitsuru was very reliable in battle, wielding a rapier while her Persona could freeze enemy Shadows. She was also good at listening to Kotone's commands.

Speaking of freezing, Kotone's new Persona, Unicorn, was also capable of casting ice magic and a burst of light energy so powerful, it could instantly kill any enemy. It was also a healer-type Persona, so it could be used for support as well.

On one particular evening in Tartarus, the team were up against a large white knight Shadow. With the group ready to attack, Fuuka was there to provide backup.

**"This Shadow is an Emperor. It must be watching over this area!"**

"So what are its weaknesses?" Kotone asked.

**"Wind, light, and dark attacks won't work while all physical attacks are cut in half. You have to use fire, electricity, and ice."**

"Got it," Kotone replied. "Junpei, you, me, and Sanada-senpai are on offense. Yukari, remain on the side and keep healing us. Kirijo-senpai, switch between attacking and healing in case we're hit by a strong attack."

With the plan of attack established, the team went into action. Sure enough, having two healers was important because this particular Shadow was a heavy-hitter. And while fire, electricity, and ice were effective, those attacks didn't do a lot of damage. Worse, because everyone needed to use their Personas, they were getting a lot more exhausted than usual.

Yet while Kotone started off using Orpheus, she realized those fire attacks weren't enough. So with her Evoker in hand, she summoned her new Persona.

"Unicorn!"

With a flash of blue light, Unicorn materialized. A bright flash of light came from its horn while the others were surrounded with pale green auras. They could feel their health being restored, especially Yukari, who usually seemed to neglect herself when it came to team healing. So with Kotone now using Unicorn to switch between offense and healing, defeating this Shadow was a breeze. It only took about an hour an a half to take it out, a new record for defeating a guardian.

"Nice work, Shiomi," Mitsuru complimented. "It seems I was right to make you our field leader."

"Oh... Thank you..." Kotone replied. She was so used to Mitsuru's compliments, yet this one felt different. It sounded like she was proud with her decision.

Yet despite this compliment, Kotone could still tell something was bothering Yukari, but why? Was there something Yukari was hiding from the rest of the team?


End file.
